Thousands of people have come to Budapest to hear Pope Francis, who wants his audience to be ‘open’ and ‘thoughtful’.
Pope Francis has met with Prime Minister Anti-Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orban on a whistle-blowing tour of the country he has requested to open, before embarking on a four-day visit to Slovakia.
During a seven-hour visit to Hungary on Sunday, the pope urged the thousands of Heroes’ masses in Budapest to “be open, open, aware”.
The 1.3 billion Catholic leader often advocates for the help of the marginalized and all religions fleeing war and poverty.
Thousands lined the nearby large boulevard, with signs and loudspeakers, while others watched from nearby balconies and other buildings.
“The pope does not say anything for no reason. His words are well chosen and have a clear message, ”said 75-year-old Zsuzsanna Pusztai.
Hungary has been faithful since the beginning, but the pope said that “the cross also asks us to stretch out our arms without strengthening ourselves,” he said as he celebrated the last session of the International Eucharistic Congress.
Francis met Orban with other senior politicians.
“I asked Pope Francis not to allow Christian Hungary to be destroyed,” Orban wrote on his Facebook page, with a photo of the two holding hands.
Tomorrow is my start #ApostolicJourney to Budapest and Slovakia. I urge everyone to accompany me in prayer, and I offer this journey to many intercessors of the faith, who, in the midst of violence and persecution, testified to the Gospel in those places.
– Pope Francis (@Papa) September 11, 2021
As a gift, Orban presented the pope with a letter written by King Bela IV to Pope Innocent IV in 1250 asking for help from Mongol soldiers who threatened Christian Hungary.
The Vatican described the meeting as “good”, saying it would discuss environmental issues and family promotion among other topics.
There has been no love between Orban’s followers and the Catholic leader. Pro-Orban journalists and politicians call Francis “anti-Christian” because of his refugee sentiment.
In the past, Francis has told Hungarian bishops that various religious and religious groups have “transformed this country into a multicultural state”, and provided “great opportunities”.
In contrast, Orban’s signature on immigration has also included fences and prisons for asylum seekers.
After arriving in Slovakia and traveling to Hungary, the pope said that more people are needed in Europe than in the minority.
“It is difficult to expect that Europe will continue to be affected and encouraged by the good news if we… do not get along and do not consider each other,” he said.
He said it was difficult to import from Europe, which is deeply religious, despite the fact that the region is still divided.
This is the first pope’s visit to Slovakia at the age of 18 and he has a long way to go.
In addition to the deadline, Pope Francis is also planning a visit to Kosice, home to thousands of Roma people living there despite difficult circumstances. He should also stop at Presov and the small town of Sastin-Straze.
