Greeting and Blessing of the Faithful (9 May 2007)

On Wednesday, 9 May 2007, the Holy Father blessed the faithful from the balcony of the Monastery of São Bento in São Paulo.

Dear Friends,

Your affectionate welcome is heart-warming for the Pope!  Thank you for waiting here to greet me.

These days, for all of you and for the Church, will be full of emotion and joy.

The Church is in festal mode! In every corner of the world people are praying for the fruits of this journey, the first Pastoral Journey to Brazil and to Latin America that Providence has granted me to carry out as the Successor of Peter.

The canonization of Frei Galvão and the inauguration of the Fifth Conference of the Bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean will be milestones in the history of the Church. I am counting on you and on your prayers!

Thank you.

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