Pope Francis will share lunch with 1,300 poor people in the Vatican

Next Sunday, November 17, the eighth edition of the World Day of the Poor will be celebrated, an initiative promoted by Pope Francis in 2017 to welcome those most in need and live the essence of the Gospel.

The Holy Father established this day in his Apostolic Letter Mercy and Miseraas an invitation to reject the throwaway culture and seek a true encounter with the poor, so that sharing becomes a lifestyle.

In this edition, with a view to the Jubilee of 2025, Pope Francis has chosen as the theme: “The prayer of the poor rises to God”, thus remembering that the poor have a special place in the heart of God.

A few days before this day is celebrated, the Dicastery for Evangelization sent a statement in which it detailed that the Holy Father will preside over the Eucharist in St. Peter’s Basilica at 10:00 am (Rome time).

“13 houses” project for disadvantaged people

In addition, this year the Pontiff will also bless 13 keys that symbolize the 13 countries where homes will be built for disadvantaged people thanks to Famvin Homeless Alliance (FHA), an initiative of the Vincentian Family to support emerging and established proposals on homelessness around the world.

Among the countries where the homes will be built within the framework of the project “13 casas” for the Jubilee, there is Syria, whose homes will be financed by the Holy See as an act of charity for the Holy Year.

Next, as is tradition, Pope Francis will share a lunch with 1,300 poor people in the Paul VI Hall, offered by the Italian Red Cross. Each participant will also receive a backpack with food and hygiene products, donated by the Congregation of the Mission (Paul Fathers).

The “Mother of Mercy” clinic

For its part, the “Mother of Mercy” clinic in Rome, which provides free health care to those in need, will remain open extended hours from November 11 to 16.

It will also have medical on-call services and a wide variety of specialties, including cardiology, dentistry, psychiatry, among others, with all services free of charge.

The Dicastery for Evangelization will also offer support to the most vulnerable families, such as paying bills through parishes, a gesture made possible thanks to the donation of UnipolSaiItalian financial services company.

In preparation for this day, parish and diocesan communities are encouraged to prioritize care for the poor with concrete actions. Furthermore, the Dicastery has prepared a Pastoral Subsidy in six languages ​​to encourage communities to be welcoming to those most in need.

According to the Vatican dicastery, Pope Francis invites everyone to pray for the poor and with them, as a way of becoming aware of their needs. It also points out the existence of “new poor”, arising from the violence of wars and bad policies.