On the occasion of Easter, the President of the Republic of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, sent a message to Pope Francis, thanking him for his “concrete and generous closeness” during these weeks of the pandemic, a time of mourning and of economic uncertainty for numerous families.

The President also highlighted the Holy Father’s “invitation to carry out gestures of attention and care to the needy on the emotional, spiritual and material plane,” reported “Vatican News.”

“In this time of profound anguish, His Holiness has not failed to give a suffering humanity the consolation of his paternal accompaniment, the relief of his concrete and generous closeness,” wrote the Italian Head of State.

Live the Easter Message

 The images of silence and emptiness of St. Peter’s Square and the Basilica have moved everyone. In that setting, the “echo resounded with special force of his lofty appeal to abandon all illusory egoism and to live fully the Easter message, following courageously the path of service,” added President Mattarella.

Life and Hope

The Italian President thanked the Holy Father for his “vibrant words of life and hope,” to his country, given the difficult circumstances Italy is living.

President Mattarella also recalled the feast of Saint George, celebrated by the Church on April 23, as on that day the Pope, who was baptized Jorge [George] Mario, celebrates his Name Day.

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