what to remember from this second day of visit to Marseille

Arriving on Friday, Pope Francis continued his visit to Marseille on Saturday. After meeting the most deprived of the Saint-Maura district, the pontiff closed the Mediterranean Meetings alongside Emmanuel Macron at the Pharo before celebrating a mass in front of nearly 60,000 people.

This second day of the papal visit, like the first, was placed under the sign of solidarity towards migrants and the most deprived. But above all, the Pope made the Vélodrome vibrate during the long-awaited giant mass.

Did you miss everything? We tell you the highlights of this second day of visit.
>> Pope in Marseille: information, videos, testimonies… Relive the second day of Francis’ visit

The surprise visit to the poorest district of Marseille

Saturday morning, a breakfast was planned at the Archbishopric. But the pope changed his agenda at the last minute, confirming his wish to meet the most deprived. The pontiff visited the Saint-Maura district, considered one of the poorest in Europe. A visit full of symbols, with the missionaries of charity.

A strong moment for people in great precariousness, who were able to share a special moment with the Pontiff, who once again wanted to highlight his fight against poverty.

The meeting with Emmanuel Macron

His presence at mass caused a lot of ink to flow. Emmanuel Macron welcomed Pope Francis on Saturday morning at the Palais du Pharo. He accompanied him to the interior of the building where the closing of the Mediterranean Meetings took place.

The President and the pontiff then met privately as planned.

Emmanuel Macron discussed migration issues but also the end of life with Pope Francis on Saturday, presenting him with the “calendar” and the “methodology” of the bill expected on this second subject “in the coming weeks”, declared the ‘Elysium. The pontiff slammed “the falsely dignified prospect of a sweet death, in reality saltier than the waters of the sea.”

The Popemobile stroll on the Prado

It was one of the highlights of this visit, in particular for the thousands of people who did not have an invitation to the high mass at the Vélodrome: Pope Francis walked up Avenue du Prado from the David in the famous popemobile, preferred to his faithful Fiat 500.

Aboard his famous Papamobile, he greeted the Marseillais gathered behind the barriers, all along the route to the Stade Vélodrome.

Entry into the Vélodrome in front of a huge tifo

Pope Francis made its debut this Saturday at 4 p.m. in the Vélodrome stadium, sitting in the legendary popemobile. Vélodrome obliges, OM supporters could not resist the pleasure of deploying a huge tifo representing the pontiff and Notre-Dame de la Garde in the south bend, against a blue and white background.

A kiss to the baby and the moved dad

After entering the Vélodrome, the Pope stopped to kiss a newborn baby. “IHe is not going to stop in front of the mayor of Marseille or another personality, but in front of the smallreacted the father of the child. It’s beautiful in its simplicity and truth.”

The homily which recalls the firm opposition of the Catholic Church to abortion

In his homily, the Pope detailed what he calls “the thrill of faith”, before drawing a parallel between migrants who died at sea and abortion.

“It is the opposite of a cold heart, which armors itself in indifference”, he declared, i“sensitive to the tragic refusal of human life, denied to many migrants, to many unborn children, to many abandoned elderly people.” It thus reaffirms the church’s opposition to the right to abortion, and confirms its position in the current debate on the end of life. Despite the fervor displayed in Marseille for the Pope’s visit, several voices were raised in the city to denounce this event.

The football metaphor of Cardinal Aveline

At the end of the mass, Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline thanked the Pope with many references to the city and the Olympique de Marseille. “A pope at the Vélodrome stadium has never been seen before!”did he declare. We are proud and happy, I believe that this evening, even the Good Mother has a tear in her eye.”

“By welcoming you for the first time for a mass in France, we will forever feel like the first! he said to a delighted crowd. Marseille will never forget the immense gift you gave us!”

The Pope’s word for the people of Nice affected by an attack in 2014

For his last words at mass, Francis thanked the authorities and the Marseille religious community. He also wanted to greet the faithful who came from Nice. “I would like to send a greeting to the brothers and sisters who survived the terrible attack of 2014,” he declared, before concluding the celebration in his words: “Pray for me, it’s not an easy job.”