At 9.30 this morning, in Saint Peter’s Square, the president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, His Eminence Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti, presided at the Eucharistic Celebration for participants in the event of encounter and prayer of the Holy Father with young people, “For a thousand roads to Rome”, sponsored by the Episcopal Conference in preparation for the Synod of Bishops, to take place from 3 to 28 October 2018 on the theme: ““Young people, the faith and vocational discernment”.

At the end of the Holy Mass, the Pope entered the Square. After a tour by popemobile and greetings from His Eminence Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti, the Holy Father conferred the missionary mandate to the young people, and blessed the gifts that young Italians will take to World Youth Day (Panama, 22-27 January 2019): the San Damiano Cross and the statue of Our Lady of Loreto.

Pope Francis then led the recital of the Angelus and finally blessed the young people who, at the end of the celebration, set out to return to their own dioceses.