Pope in Romania/Sovereign Pontiff: May Blessed Virgin Mary guide you to a geniune future of progress, peace

Pope Francis told the rd 100,000 faithful gathered on Sunday in Blaj on the Liberty Field that he entrusts them to Virgin Mary to guide them "towards a future of a genuine progress and peace", and to building "a more and more righteous and fraternal homeland". During the Holy Liturgy in Blaj seven Greek-Catholic martyr bishops were beatified: Valeriu Traian Frentiu, Vasile Aftenie, Ioan Suciu, Tit Liviu Chinezu, Ioan Balan, Alexandru Rusu and Iuliu Hossu. "Before closing this Divine Liturgy, I wish to once again salute all of you who are present here and the ones I have met these days, and thank you all for the warm welcome, I salute with respect the President of the Republic and the other authorities, expressing my true gratitude for the fruitful collaboration as regards the preparation and unfolding of this visit," the Holy Pontiff said. Pope Francis added that he is grateful to the Romanian Orthodox Church for the fraternal spirit welcome. "I am grateful to His Holiness Patriarch Daniel, to the Holy Synod, to the Clergy and to the faithful of the Orthodox Church in Romania who have fraternally welcomed me! May God bless this ancient and distinguised Church and may He support it in its mission," the Pontiff stressed. "I am addressing an affectionate, grateful salute to Your Beatitude, Cardinal Lucian Muresan. I salute the faithful of the Catholic Church: bishops, priests, the consecrated persons and the laic faithful in Bucharest and Iasi, as well as the numerous pilgrims arrived at Sumuleu Ciuc. I thank God who gave me the possibility to pray with you and to encourage you in your commitment of evangelism and testimony of charity. Here in Blaj, land of martyrdom, of freedom and mercifulness I pay tribute to you, sons of the Greek-Catholic Church who for three centuries confess, with apostolic fervor, of your faith," the Holy Pontiff added. Eventually, Pope Francis addressed to all Romanians: "May Blessed Virgin Mary shed Her mother protection upon all the citizens of Romania who the long of the history have always entrusted to Her intercession. I entrust you all to Her and ask Her to guide you on your path of faith, to advance to a future of genuine progress and peace, and thus contribute to building a more and more righteous and fraternal motherland."AGERPRES(RO - author: Oana Ghita, editor: Claudia Stanescu; EN - author, editor: Maria Voican)