On July 31, Pope Francis left the Vatican to visit Luna Park di Ostia, a circus amusement park in the seaside town of Ostia near Rome.
The Holy See Press Office announced that the Pope’s surprise visit was to meet with the amusement park workers and circus performers, who are spiritually accompanied by Sister Geneviève Jeanningros of the Little Sisters of Jesus.
During his visit, Pope Francis blessed a statue of Our Lady, Patroness of the Traveling Show and Circus. He greeted families and children present at the park, and watched demonstrations by circus performers. One young boy presented the Pope with a music box shaped like a carousel, along with 5 euros, saying, “so you can buy an ice cream,” to which the Pope laughed and responded, “An ice cream?,” reported CNS and Zenit.
Sister Geneviève, who has been serving this community for 56 years, lives in a trailer at the amusement park with Sister Anna Amelia. The Pope has known Sister Geneviève for many years and has met her on several occasions. She often brings groups, including LGBTQ+ individuals, to meet the Pope during his Wednesday general audience.
Despite the high heat, Pope Francis took time from his summer break to show support for this marginalized community. He thanked the amusement park workers for their efforts, saying, “I thank you all for what you do to make people smile … thank you for helping to bring joy,” reported Vatican News.
Come omaggio al Papa un breve spettacolo di acrobazie, gag e palloncini pic.twitter.com/isKWjbpRtj
— Vatican News (@vaticannews_it) July 31, 2024
Editorial credit: Kraft74 / Shutterstock.com
