“A symbolic gesture to those prisoners who deem it appropriate to undergo such measures, to open their hearts to the grace of the Lord in these times of tension, injustice and conflict”. This is what Pope Francis wrote to the heads of state on the occasion of Christmas.
(Vatican News Network) Pope Francis sent a letter to heads of state close to Christmas, asking them to forgive “our brothers and sisters who have lost their freedom”, a symbolic gesture addressed to “those prisoners who deem it appropriate to submit to such measures”. be able to open our hearts to the grace of the Lord in this time of tension, injustice and conflict”. Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, announced the aforementioned news on December 12, and clarified that the Pope’s purpose in writing this letter is to ask for a “magnificence” for those serving prison sentences and those who have lost freedom.
This move by the Pope can be traced back to 2000, during the Great Jubilee at the time: in the document “The Jubilee of Prisoners” published at the end of June of that year, Pope John Paul II asked the world of the country to carry out an act of leniency. More than a week later, on July 9, John Paul II visited the prisoners of the “Queen of Heaven” prison in Rome, and in the name of Jesus who was “imprisoned, mocked, tried and condemned”, he asked the authorities competent to “Reduce the sentence, so that the prisoner can live a new social life after being released from prison. On November 14, 2002, the Pope made the aforementioned request again, receiving the members of the Italian Parliament.
Following the example of his predecessors during his pastoral ministry, Pope Francis has also asked for pardons for those serving prison sentences. In addition to pastoral visits, he visited prisons especially on Holy Thursday, where he performed foot washing with inmates. In 2016, during the Jubilee of Mercy, the Pope celebrated Mass for prisoners in St. Peter’s Basilica on the occasion of the Jubilee for Prisoners on 6 November. Later, in his Angelus recitation, he urged nations to The government implemented a “leniency move” for those serving prison sentences.
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