By Charles Igwe
During his visit to Verona on Saturday, Pope Francis gave a silent blessing to a group of prisoners from various religions, allowing them to receive it “from God in the way they believe.” Addressing inmates from Verona’s Montorio prison, he emphasized the unity of God across different cultures and religions, stating, “God is one: our cultures have taught us to call him by one name, by another, and to find him in different ways, but he is the same father of all of us. He is one.”
Pope Francis further remarked on the virtues of God, highlighting “closeness, compassion, and tenderness.” Concluding his address, he offered a silent blessing, inviting a moment of reflection: “A minute of silence, and I give my blessing to all of you.” After the silence, he prayed, “May the Lord bless you, help you to always move forward, console you in sadness, and be your companion in joy. Amen.”
The Pope also requested the inmates to pray for him, adding, “Please do not forget, please pray for me and not against me.”
