ONLINE Pope in Šaštín serves Holy Mass: Slovaks addressed a request and a call to compassionate faith – Topky.sk

Pope Francis came to Slovakia for an official visit on Sunday
spent Monday in the capital, where he visited several holy places and met with the President, government officials and the Speaker of Parliament
Pope Francis spent Tuesday in eastern Slovakia, began his program in Prešov, later moved to Košice and also visited Luník IX.
During the feast of the Virgin Mary of the Seven Sorrows, the Pope will celebrate Holy Mass in Šaštín and shortly in the afternoon he will move to the airport for a farewell ceremony and fly back to the Vatican.

VIDEO The Holy Father welcomed the visitors of the Holy Mass in Šaštín

11:10 More than 50,000 people came to Šaštín in Šaštín on Wednesday for the celebration of the Virgin Mary of the Seven Sorrows – the patron saint of Slovakia. The Pope celebrated it at the end of a four-day pastoral journey in Slovakia. The press office of the Conference of Bishops of Slovakia (KBS) informs about it.

11:06 Among the sectors there are already priests who distribute the Eucharist to pilgrims. They put it in their hands.

11:01 The Father’s Prayer is heard by a 150-member choir in Latin.

10:46 Selected believers brought gifts to the pope.

Source: SITA / Martin Mednansky

10:40 During the Holy Mass, the prayers of the faithful were also heard. In addition to Slovak, they also read in English, German or Romani. In them they ask God for different needs. For example, they also pray for state officials.

10:35 For the Slovak nation, the Virgin Mary is a model of faith that walks the path and is not static. This was announced by Pope Francis during the homily, which he delivered on Wednesday during St. Mass in Šaštín. He asked the Slovaks to stay on the road. At the same time, according to the Pope, today’s Slovakia needs prophets who will show the beauty of the Gospel with their lives and establish dialogue. The Pope also calls for a compassionate faith that is in solidarity with the needy.

10:25 Despite the calls of hygienists and organizers during the inspection at the entrance gates, pilgrims in the sectors do not follow the measures, they do not have a veil on, the spacings are small.

10:20 The first reading during St. actor Štefan Bučko read the mass, the actor Ján Gallovič also read the second reading.

10:04 On Wednesday, the last day of his visit to Slovakia, Pope Francis donated a commemorative medal and a mosaic with his coat of arms to the Apostolic Nunciature in Bratislava, where he was accommodated. The medal is one of the traditional symbolic objects associated with the apostolic journeys of the popes. “It serves as a gift from the Holy Father for the people he meets, as well as a memorial to history,” approached the Office of the Bishops of Slovakia (KBS). The same medal was awarded to the President of the Slovak Republic Zuzana Čaputová during the meeting with the Pope.

10:00 Holy Mass has begun.

VIDEO Thousands of people came to Šaštín for the Pope’s Holy Mass

09:54 A procession is already coming from the sacristy, which he brought to the altar of the Gospel according to Luke. Subsequently, the Holy Father came to the altar.

09:40 Originally, the Pope was to meet before the Holy Mass with the bishops of the National Basilica, where they were to pray together without the presence of the media. Instead, the Holy Father went straight to the sacristy, where he was preparing for Mass.

09:37 The three highest constitutional officials also came to Šaštín – President Zuzana Čaputová, Speaker of Parliament Boris Kollár and Prime Minister Eduard Heger. Other politicians and members of the government are also on site, such as Finance Minister Igor Matovic.

09:20 The Holy Father moved among the pilgrims in a papamobile throughout the area. He greeted and blessed those present. People greeted him in the area with applause and waving, especially with Vatican or Slovak flags. People from other countries can also be seen in Šaštín, for example from the neighboring Czech Republic.

09:10 Holy Father František came to Šaštín on Wednesday morning. This is the last day of his apostolic journey in Slovakia. Before the Holy Mass, on which the homily sounds from the head of the Catholic Church, he meets with the bishops.

09:03 Police officers informed on the social network that the first pilgrims came to Šaštín shortly after 10 pm, when the complex was opening. “The course so far is calm,” stated on the social network.

08:50 Shortly after 6 o’clock in the morning, there were tens of thousands of people in Šaštín who came to Holy Mass. The peaceful course of the event is supervised by police officers, and there are also volunteers on site who are marked with reflective vests and guide people.

Thousands of pilgrims are already waiting for Pope Francis in the area near the National Shrine in Šaštín. They came from the early morning hours, expect encouragement from the meeting, and look forward to seeing the head of the Catholic Church live. “I saw John Paul II live, so I would like to see Pope Francis live.” said Pavol, who came to Šaštín from the vicinity of Šurian. He added that the journey and entrances to the event were smooth.

Other parishioners from Šurian also came to the meeting with the bus. One of them is the religion teacher Elizabeth. “We left at 2.30 in front of the parish church and the trip was pleasant, it was in a good atmosphere, because we are all looking forward to the Holy Father coming to bless us.” she stated. At the same time, she noted that everyone needs encouragement. She described Pope Francis’ trip to Slovakia as a great contribution. Zuzana also came from Šurian. “I am very much looking forward and I firmly hope that it will move me closer to God and I will see the Pope. He is God on earth, he is his highest representative, I was also on John Paul II, and I will not miss this either.” she said.

According to her, Pope Francis came to Slovakia because he sees the need for him to come and encourage us. “We are very bad in Slovakia and we have to improve. And I think this will help us. If everyone improves at least a little, it will be better. We live a very bad world,” she added. Iveta from the vicinity of Bánovce nad Bebravou lost half past two. “I expect joy, strengthening, fulfillment of my desire to see the Holy Father with my own eyes. I expect joy in everything that happens here, I expect something to change.” she described her feelings.

A pilgrim from Humenné came from eastern Slovakia and arrived in Šaštín shortly after four o’clock in the morning. “I expect peace of mind from meeting the Pope. To experience such an experience is something wonderful.” she said. The Holy Mass in Šaštín will begin at 10.00 am. According to the organizers, approximately 45,000 participants registered for the event, of which 437 were handicapped, 5,981 children and 2,629 foreigners. There are 4632 volunteers, organizers and suppliers with the organization. There are 464 at the same time. 757 priests registered for the event in Šaštín.

Before the very beginning of the Holy Mass, an accompanying program was prepared from the early morning hours. It included, for example, the prayer of the Holy Rosary, praise, and the Loreto litany. After the end of the Holy Mass around 12.00, a cultural and spiritual program should be held by the Kandráčov family.

They’ve been waiting since night

The sectors in Šaštín-Strážy, where the Holy Mass will take place on Wednesday with the participation of the Holy Father František, opened their gates on Tuesday (September 14) at 10 pm. Denisa Bárdyová, a spokeswoman for the Presidium of the Police Force, confirmed to TASR that the night was peaceful.

“Visitors started arriving in the early morning hours. The sectors are gradually filling up,” Bárdy approached. The road in the direction of Kúty – Šaštín-Stráže was closed shortly before 8 am. Due to the traffic situation on the roads, the organizers adjusted the entrance to the sectors and visitors to the Holy Mass could enter them an hour longer, until 9.00 am. “There is currently a delay in entry, so we ask visitors to register for the sectors as soon as possible.” the speaker approached. The Holy Mass in Šaštín, which will be attended by Pope Francis, will begin at 10.00. President Zuzana Čaputová will also attend the Holy Mass.

They’ve been waiting since night

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