The Pope’s words before the Angelus prayer

Visit to the San Vittore prison

The Pope’s words before the Angelus prayer

At 11.00 this morning, following the encounter with priests and consecrated persons in the Duomo of Milan, the Holy Father Francis led the Angelus prayer from the forecourt and blessed the faithful present in the Square.

The following are the Pope’s words of introduction to the Marian prayer:

Holy Father’s words

Dear brothers and sisters,

I greet you and I thank you for your warm welcome here in Milan. The fog has gone away! There are those who said that it will rain but I don’t see it yet. Many thanks for your affection, and I ask you please for your prayer, to pray for me, so that I may serve the People of God, that I may serve the Lord and do His will. And now, I invite you to pray together the Angelus, all together.

Angelus Domini…

Visit to the San Vittore prison

Following the Angelus Marian prayer on the forecourt of the Duomo, at 12.05 today the Holy Father Francis, accompanied by His Eminence Cardinal Angelo Scola, archbishop of Milan, visited the San Vittore prison.

Upon arrival, at the entrance in Piazza Filangieri, the Pope was welcomed by Luigi Pagano, regional superintendent of Lombardy; Gloria Manzelli, director; Chief Commissioner Manuela Federico, commander; and Don Marco Recalcati, chaplain.

Then, in the entrance corridor, the Pope greeted the staff of the Directorate and the Penitentiary Police. He went on to greet personally the detainees in various areas of the buildings, and lunched with one hundred of them in the prison’s Terzo Raggio.

Subsequently, at 14.15, the Holy Father transferred by car to the Monza Park to celebrate Holy Mass.