2016-12-18 16:56:00

(Vatican Radio) The Vatican on Sunday reported that Pope Francis received some very special birthday wishes yesterday from prisoners detained at the Due Palazzi prison in Padua, Italy.

The prison chaplain, Don Mario Pozza, arranged a skype call with Pope Francis involving some sixty prisoners, several guards, the prison warden and volunteers, at about 5pm Rome Time on Saturday, December 17th – the afternoon of the Holy Father’s 80th birthday.

The prisoners were represented by one of their number, Marzio, who read a letter to Pope Francis in which he promised prayers for the Pope, and said, “Thanks from the bottom of our heart for your daily witness, which nourishes our hopes and our dreams, and gives us continuous glimmers of light.”

Pope Francis welcomed the greetings, saying, “I thank you all so much for your tenderness, your closeness – and I ask the Lord to bless you – may the Lord bless every one of you: your families, your parents, your brothers and sisters, your children. God bless you all. I pray for you: I am close to you, and I give you this, the blessing of the Lord.”

The exchange was recorded and posted to YouTube, and may be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWhY5e1p-o0