After praying the Angelus, the Pope referred to World Day for Life, held today in Italy, on the theme “Men and women for life in the wake of St. Theresa of Calcutta”. “I join with the Italian bishops in hoping for courageous educational action in favour of human life. Every life is sacred! Let us promote the culture of life as a response to the logic of rejected and to the falling birth rate; let us be close to and together pray for the babies who are at risk of the interruption of pregnancy, as well as those who are at the end of their life – every life is sacred! – so that no-one be left alone and that love defend the meaning of life. Let us remember the words of Mother Theresa of Calcutta: “Life is beautiful, admire it; life is life, defend it!”, both with the as yet unborn child and the person who is close to death: every life is sacred! I greet all those who work for life, the lecturers of the Roman universities and all those who collaborate in forming the new generations, so that they may be capable of building a society that is welcoming and worthy of every person”.

He went on to greet pilgrims, families, parish groups and associations from various parts of the world, and in particular, the faithful of Vienna, Granada, Melilla, Acquaviva delle Fonti and Bari, as well as students from Penafiel, Portugal, and Badajoz, Spain.

“I wish you all a good Sunday”, he concluded. “Please, do not forget to pray for me. Have a good lunch, and goodbye”.