The Holy Father Francis went to Assisi privately this afternoon to sign the Encyclical Letter “Brothers All’ on Fraternity and Social Friendship, which will be published tomorrow, on the occasion of the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi.

The Holy Father arrived at the Sacred Convent around 3:00 pm, when he celebrated Holy Mass at the Tomb of the Poverello of Assisi.

At the end of the Eucharistic Celebration, the Pope thanked Monsignor Paolo Braida of the First Section of the Secretariat of State, and two translators of the Encyclical. Then, after signing the first copy of the Document, he returned to the Vatican.

Following is a translation of the words pronounced by the Holy Father at the end of the Celebration.

* * *

The Holy Father’s Words

 Now I will sign the Encyclical that Monsignor Paolo Braida, who is in charge of the translations and also of the Pope’s addresses in the First Section, brings to the altar. He oversees everything and, therefore, I wanted him to be present here today to bring me the Encyclical. Two translators have come with him: Father Antonio, translator of the Portuguese language, who translated from Spanish to Portuguese, and Father Cruz, who is Spanish, and oversaw somewhat the other translations of the Spanish original. I do so as a sign of gratitude to all the First Section of the Secretariat of State that worked on this drafting and translation.

[Then he signed the Encyclical]

 These translators are humble; they hide! [He said]

© Libreria Editrice Vatican

[Original text: Italian]  [ZENIT’s translation by Virginia M. Forrester]

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