Pope Francis before the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s to pray the Angelus of March 6, welcomed an initiative that has been launched in Italy, “humanitarian corridors for refugees”, citing a “concrete sign commitment to peace and life. ”
“This pilot project that unites solidarity and security”, said the Holy Father, “is used to help people fleeing war and violence.”
People like this hundred refugees “have arrived in Italy,” including “sick children, the disabled, war widows with children or the elderly.”
Ecumenical approach
The Pope “too glad” because “this initiative is ecumenical.” It is in fact the result of an agreement reached between mid-December the Catholic Sant’Egidio Community, the Italian Government, the Federation of Protestant Churches in Italy and the Waldensian Church.
This pilot project, the first in Europe, provides for the arrival of a thousand people in two years not only for Lebanon, but soon also from Morocco and Ethiopia.
Paolo Morozzo della Rocca, a professor of immigration law at the University of Urbino follows this issue closely in the Sant’Egidio Community.
Interview by Olivier Bonnel (in french)
Translate of the French.
Complete article in french on Vatican radio