Faithful gather in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Sunday, July 25, 2021. Pope Francis has offered his blessing for the Tokyo Olympic Games from Vatican City. Francis told the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square for the traditional papal blessing that 'in this period of pandemic, these Games are a sign of hope, a sign of universal brotherhood and of a healthy competitive spirit.' (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)
The Associated Press
VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Francis celebrated the Roman Catholic Church's first World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly on Sunday.
Francis solicited a round of applause from the faithful in St. Peter's Square and urged people everywhere to reach out to older generations.
Francis was supposed to have led a celebration Mass for grandparents in St. Peter's Cathedral earlier in the day, but left the duty to Archbishop Rino Fisichella, three weeks after the pontiff emerged from the hospital after major intestinal surgery.
'œGrandparents and grandchildren, the elderly and youth together showed one of the beautiful sides of the Church, and showed the alliance between the generations,'' the pontiff said in off-the-cuff remarks from a window overlooking St. Peter's Square.
'œTo celebrate this day, I invite celebration in every community with visits to grandparents and elderly, those who are most alone, to bring them my message, inspired by Jesus: '~I am with you every day.' 'ť
He said just as the elderly need young people, young people need the elderly, 'œespecially in this throw-away culture.'ť
'œThe grandparents have the sap of history, that rises and gives strength for the tree to grow,'' Francis said.
If young people and elderly don't meet and talk, 'œhistory does not go on, life does not go on. We need to resume this: It is a challenge for our culture. Grandparents have the right to dream while watching young people, and young people have the right to prophecy by taking sap from grandparents,'' he said.
During the traditional Sunday noon blessing, the pope also remembered victims of flooding in China and offered his blessing to the Tokyo Olympics.
A girl kisses her dog as Pope Francis, background top, celebrates the Angelus prayer from his studio window overlooking St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Sunday, July 25, 2021. Pope Francis has offered his blessing for the Tokyo Olympic Games from Vatican City. Francis told the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square for the traditional papal blessing that 'in this period of pandemic, these Games are a sign of hope, a sign of universal brotherhood and of a healthy competitive spirit.' (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)
The Associated Press
Pope Francis waves from his studio's window overlooking St. Peter's Square to celebrate the Angelus prayer, at the Vatican, Sunday, July 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)
The Associated Press
Pope Francis looks from his studio window overlooking St. Peter's Square to celebrate the Angelus prayer, at the Vatican, Sunday, July 25, 2021. Pope Francis has offered his blessing for the Tokyo Olympic Games from Vatican City. Francis told the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square for the traditional papal blessing that 'in this period of pandemic, these Games are a sign of hope, a sign of universal brotherhood and of a healthy competitive spirit.' (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)
The Associated Press
Faithful crowd St. Peter's square during the Angelus prayer celebrated by Pope Francis, top right, from his studio window, at the Vatican, Sunday, July 25, 2021. Pope Francis has offered his blessing for the Tokyo Olympic Games from Vatican City. Francis told the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square for the traditional papal blessing that 'in this period of pandemic, these Games are a sign of hope, a sign of universal brotherhood and of a healthy competitive spirit.' (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)
The Associated Press
Pope Francis looks from his studio window overlooking St. Peter's Square to celebrate the Angelus prayer, at the Vatican, Sunday, July 25, 2021. Pope Francis has offered his blessing for the Tokyo Olympic Games from Vatican City. Francis told the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square for the traditional papal blessing that 'in this period of pandemic, these Games are a sign of hope, a sign of universal brotherhood and of a healthy competitive spirit.' (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)
The Associated Press
Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, right, attends a Mass led by Monsignor Rino Fisichella, third from right, on the occasion of Grandparents' and the elderly World Day, in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Sunday, July 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)
The Associated Press
Monsignor Rino Fisichella celebrates Mass on the occasion of Grandparents' and the elderly World Day, in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Sunday, July 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)
The Associated Press