During the Papal Flight to Abu Dhabi from Rome, His Holiness Pope Francis presented to members of the accompanying media copies of an icon made at the Monastery of Bose in Italy, carrying a message for young people.
“It’s on the theme of dialogue between the old and the young,” the Pope told the journalists.
“I care deeply about this topic, and I think it’s a challenge,” the Pope added.
On the back is inscribed an extract from remarks in October 2018 by the Pope when he was asked “what would you say to young people who want to have confidence in life, who wish to build for themselves a future to the height of their dreams?”
The extract reads: “This icon bears a young monk, carrying the elderly one on his shoulders. He carries forward the dreams of the elderly man… A youth who is capable of carrying the dreams of the elderly man, and take them forward and allow them to flourish.”
The Papal Visit marks 1st visit of a Pope to the MENA region. Themed ‘Make Me a Channel of Your Peace’, the visit is a positive response of the pontiff and the Vatican to the invitation of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the UAE.
In line with the UAE’s ‘Year of Tolerance’ the visit is part of the celebrations of the ‘International Interfaith Meeting on Human Fraternity’.
