The Pope in Acerra: 'I have come to collect tears, unhinge the culture of bullying'
In the Acerra Cathedral he spoke to the families of the victims of the 'terra dei fuochi'
Key points
Pope Leo XIV is on an apostolic journey to Acerra. It is the visit that Pope Francis had announced for the end of May 2020. What stopped him was the covid pandemic.
"I have come first of all to collect the tears of those who have lost loved ones, killed by environmental pollution caused by unscrupulous people and organisations, who for too long have been able to act with impunity," Leone said in Acerra Cathedral, speaking to the families of the victims of the 'land of fires'. "I am here, however, also to thank those who have responded to evil with good, especially a Church," Leone went on to say, "that has been able to dare to denounce and prophesy, to rally the people in hope.
Some relatives of victims of environmental pollution handed over letters, books, and a few words to tell of their grief at losing children or family members.
After the speech in the Cathedral, Leone travelled by popemobile to Piazza Calipari to meet the mayors of the terra dei fuochi, the second and last stop of his visit to Acerra.
The Pope: 'Unhinge the culture of bullying'
In his first speech in Acerra, Leone invited everyone, starting with the men of the Church, to manifest 'daily the authority of service, which stoops down and approaches, which takes the first step and forgives. In fact, a culture of privilege, of arrogance, of non-accountability, which has done too much harm to this land, as to many other regions of Italia and the world, must be broken down'.
