At a Holy Mass in the Hungarian capital Budapest, Pope Francis asked the faithful to be open. It was sad and painful “to see closed doors to people,” said the head of the Catholic Church during the mass on Kossuth Square. Above all, he criticized the “closed doors to strangers, to others, to migrants, to the poor”. “Please: let’s open the doors,” he said in front of thousands of believers.
He also commemorated those who live in suffering and poverty or “step out of line”. “Being open and inclusive to one another to help Hungary grow in brotherhood, which is the way of peace” is the need of the hour. His comments in Hungary were previously eagerly awaited. The appeal to open the doors could be interpreted as criticism of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s policy of sealing off those seeking protection.
After the prayer, Francis again mentioned peace and recalled the “tormented neighboring Ukrainian people and the Russian people”. He advocated a “future of hope, not war” and a “world of brotherhood, not walls”.
Tens of thousands follow the Pope Mass
There was room for around 25,000 people on the square in front of the Hungarian Parliament. Thousands of believers also followed the fair outside the area on large screens. The Hungarian state leadership also took part in the fair – President Katalin Novak and Prime Minister Orban sat in the audience. Also present was the Mayor of Budapest, Gergely Karacsony, whom the Pope had received on Saturday. The green-liberal Karacsony is an important political opponent of the right-wing populist Orban.
Francis was driven through the rows of visitors and believers in his famous popemobile to cheers and applause. He greeted those present and along the way he kissed and blessed several babies who were handed to him in the popemobile. The fair marked the ceremonial conclusion of his visit to Hungary. In the afternoon there is a visit to the Catholic Peter Pazmany University.
