150 are ready to leave from Foligno and Assisi for Rome for the first World Children’s Day desired by Pope Francis, for which over 100 thousand attendees from all over the world have been estimated. In the early morning of Saturday 25 May, in fact, the delegations of the two dioceses will undertake the bus journey that will take them to the capital and in particular to the Olympic stadium, which will be the backdrop to the first of two days dedicated to children aged 5 to 12 years.
The opening of the gates is set for 12.30pm and will be followed at 2.30pm by a moment of welcome and meeting and at 3pm by the unveiling of the cross of Joy created by Mimmo Paladino. A few minutes later, the Zecchino d’Oro choir will sing the official anthem of World Children’s Day and then give the stage to television presenter Carlo Conti, who will greet the 101 delegations in traditional dress present at the Olimpico. Many guests will be present from Renato Zero to Albano, from Orietta Berti to Lino Banfi and up to footballers of the caliber of Gianluigi Buffon and Alex Del Piero. The arrival of the Holy Father, however, is scheduled for 4.45pm, thus starting a real moment of meeting and discussion with the children who have arrived from all over the world, in particular Israelis, Palestinians, Ukrainians, Syrians, Afghans and Africans.
But, as mentioned, Saturday will only be the first of two days of meeting and discussion between Pope Francis and the young faithful. In fact, on Sunday 26 May, the delegations will move to St. Peter’s Square. The first part of the morning, which will begin at 10 am, will once again be marked by the Zecchino d’Oro choir which, with its songs, will introduce the Eucharistic celebration presided over by the Pontiff. After the Angelus, however, there will be a monologue by Roberto Benigni, which will be followed by the Pope’s closing greeting to all the boys and girls.
Organized by the Dicastery for Culture and Education and coordinated by Father Enzo Fortunato and Aldo Cagnoli, with the collaboration of the Community of Sant’Egidio and the Auxilium Cooperative, the initiative was created to put the condition of children at the centre, offering a space of reflection on their future and the world that will be given to them. In short, an opportunity to underline the importance of the role of the new generations as protagonists of the future.
