Pope turns 85 and celebrates with refugees | It is already on the list of 10 longest living in history

The Papa turns 85 this Friday. Francisco a on his birthday As a celebration, a meeting with a group of African and Asian refugees It came from Cyprus. Even Received numerous congratulations World leaders and figures, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and former Vice President and Italian right-wing leader Matteo Salvini.

Jorge Mario Percoglio, Born in 1936 in Buenos Aires And was elected Pope on March 13, 2013. He later became the head of Church No. 266. Featured in the list of 10 people who have lived the longest in history.

At this time, the oldest pope in history was Vincenzo Gioccino Rafael Luigi Becky, elected Leo XIII in 1878, who lasted 93 years and 140 days until his death.

Birthday with refugees

After a Roman afternoon, he welcomed African and Asian refugees from Cyprus to Rome last night as part of the first group to relocate to Italy with the support of the Holy See.

Francis himself predicted that up to 50 people from countries such as Syria and Cameroon could come to Italy safely and start a new life.

With a gesture celebrating refugees, Percoglio is trying to attract the attention of European countries, as some northern states on the continent refuse to accept visitors to countries such as Greece, Cyprus and Italy..

The pope’s initiative for the arrival of these 50 people from Cyprus, funded by the Vatican, already includes the logistics organization of the Catholic community, Sant’Egidio, a group close to the Holy See, which manages humanitarian corridors.

The Pope did not change his regular schedule

Like his previous eight birthdays inside the Vatican, Francis decided to keep his schedule casual. Prior to the meeting with the refugees, the pope led a prayer early this Friday at the event approaching Christmas, known as “Advent preaching” in the Catholic tradition, led by the Capuchin preacher, Raniro Gondalamesa.

The pope also received certificates of goodwill from ambassadors from Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Namibia, Lesotho, Luxembourg, Chad and Guinea-Bissau at the Clementine Hall of the Vatican.

In his meeting with the diplomats, he reiterated his concern about the epidemic and said that “it is important for the international community to intensify cooperation efforts so that all people have access to vaccines as soon as possible” because it is not a matter of convenience or respect. This is a question of justice. “

Later, in the private library on the second floor of the Apostolic Palace, Francisco met with Cardinal Leonardo Sandri of Argentina, President of the Council for Oriental Churches; Cardinal Louis Tagley of the Philippines, with the head of the Deccastory for the Gospel; And Cardinal Louis Lataria Ferrer of Spain, from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Congratulations to Francisco

President of Russia Vladimir Putin was one of the first to greet Pergoglio. In a statement, the pope stressed that he had “devoted his entire life to the promotion of high spiritual and moral values” and “made invaluable contributions to the development and strengthening of relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church. Relations between Russia and the Vatican.”

In Italy, the first leaders to greet him on his birthday were the President of Fursa Italy Antonio Tajani and the former Mayor of Rome Virginia Rocky. The right-wing leader of the league, Matteo Salvini, also took to Twitter to wish Francisco a happy birthday with a message saying “brilliant and precious leadership in a difficult time for Italy and the world.”