Pope Francis’ visit to Greece is considered a celebration and a unity event for the entire Catholic community. As the successor of the apostle Peter, the Pope is the visible shepherd of the Church, appointed by our eternal Shepherd and Savior Jesus Christ. As he represents the whole Church, the Catholics in Greece unite in a special way with the universal Church.
In our country, Catholics are a diverse community with believers from many nationalities and languages. Thus, the presence of the Pope will rekindle their faith and will reanimate their unity, which is its foundation, what constitutes them in the body of Christ.
The presence of the Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church will also be an invitation to believe more deeply to Christ and the Gospel and an integration into the people of God. We realize that we are baptized, united in the Cross and the Resurrection of the Lord, reborn by the Holy Spirit; we are children of God, disciples of Christ, destined for eternal life in God.
Even for those who are far from the Church or whose relationship with God has weakened or their relationship with the parish communities has cooled, the visit of the Holy Father is considered an invitation and a call to rediscover love and salvation of Christ; an invitation to the fraternal relationship we must have as members of the Church.
Especially for young people, the Pope’s visit is a call to faith, an invitation to rethink the gift of the Gospel and the new life in Christ. Through a festive and joyful encounter, we can see the unity that Christ brings to people, the victory of the Cross over the wickedness and selfishness of the world, the “good news” of love and the wonderful works that God accomplishes to attract all his scattered children near him.
As Greece is shaken by the effects of the pandemic and the recent economic crisis, may the Pope’s visit, by the grace of God, illuminate the local Catholic Church and bring a ray of light to the future of our country with its deep-rooted faith and its glorious past, being a new starting point for all, both individually and as a Community.
