Pope in Romania / Sovereign Pontiff leaves Sumuleu Ciuc

Sumuleu Ciuc, June 1 /Agerpres/ - Pope Francis left the plateau of Sumuleu Ciuc after the Pontifical Liturgy on Saturday at the Marian sanctuary in the presence of almost 100,000 pilgrims. The Sovereign Pontiff will stop at Jakab Antal House in Sumuleu, close to the Franciscan church, where he will eat and rest, after which he will continue his journey to Targu Mures from where he will fly to Iasi, according to official sources. In Iasi, Pope Francisc will visit, at about 17:25 hrs, the Cathedral of "Holy Virgin Mary, Queen". Here he will meet about 800 sick and elderly people. After this meeting, he will travel by the Popemobile to the Cultural Palace Square to attend the "Marian Meeting with Young People and Families". From the stage in Culture Palace Square, erected for this event, Pope Francis will give a speech. One of the special elements of the event is the testimonies of a young man and a family of three generations, whose members live in Romania and four other countries. A woman from the village of Sipote, Iasi County, the mother of 11 children who left for various corners of the world, will tell Pope Francis about what the joys of a large family are, but especially about the pain of separation from the loved ones. Pope Francis will also bless a landmark showing the distance of 4,500 kilometers from Iasi to Santiago de Compostela, a landmark located in the Culture Square, to be the starting point for those who want to go pilgrimage from Iasi to that town of Spain where there is tomb of the Apostle James the Greater. Also, a statue that embodies Jesus, carved in marble by an Orthodox artist, will be blessed by Pope Francis, and then will be given to the Iasi community, and then placed in a public place.AGERPRES (RO - author: Gina Stefan, Oana Malina Negrea, editor: George Onea; EN - editor: Bogdan Gabaroi)