Pope Francis hears confessions of three young people in Lisbon

By Edoardo Giribaldi

On the morning of the third day of his Apostolic Journey in Portugal, Pope Francis celebrated the Sacrament of Reconciliation with three young pilgrims in Lisbon.

The event took place at Jardim Vasco da Gama, a public garden adjacent to Praça do Império, the largest square in the Iberian Peninsula built in 1940 to celebrate Portugal’s history.

Festive chants

As he approached the confessional, the Pope was warmly welcomed by festive chants from the crowd.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation took place in private form. The WYD pilgrims present in the park maintained a rigorous silence, and then burst out again in joyful choruses to celebrate Pope Francis as he departed for his next engagement.

The Holy Father, before getting back into the car headed to the Centro Paroquial da Serafina to meet with representatives of welfare and charity centers, took a few moments to return the greetings.

Make your faith credible

Previously, on the second day of his Apostolic Journey, the Pope offered several words of hope and encouragement to the young pilgrims present in Lisbon.

The Holy Father invited the students of the Universidade Catòlica Portuguesa to imagine a future society with God at its center, making their faith “credible” through their choices, “for unless faith gives rise to convincing lifestyles,” the Pope affirmed, it will not be “leaven in the world.”

The Church is for everyone

Pope Francis also attended the Welcoming Ceremony for World Youth Day at Parque Eduardo VII, a festive and inclusive event, with a choreographic performance of the lyrics of the music in Portuguese sign language.

“There is room for everyone in the Church,” the Holy Father said to a crowd of over 500,000 pilgrims, “the young and old, the healthy and the sick, the righteous and sinners: everyone, everyone, everyone, everyone,” asking the young audience to repeat the word after him.