“I recall with emotion the ecumenical prayer in Lund, Sweden, on 31 October last year. In the spirit of the joint commemoration of the Reformation, we look more to what unites us, rather than what divides us, and continue our journey together to deepen our communion and give it an ever more visible form”. Pope Francis said this as he greeted the German-speaking pilgrims gathered in the Paul VI Hall today. “At the beginning of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, I would like to give a warm welcome, in particular, to the delegation of the European ecumenical itinerary, headed by Principal Ms Annette Kurschus”, Pope Francis began: “Your stop in Rome is an important ecumenical sign and the expression of the communion we have achieved among us through dialogue in the past decades. The Gospel of Christ is at the centre of our lives and unites people who speak different languages, live in different countries, and live the faith in different communities”. Then a reference to Lund and a hope for our continent: “In Europe, this common faith in Christ is like a green thread of hope: we belong to one another. Communion, reconciliation, and unity are possible. As Christians, we are responsible for this message and must bear witness to it with our lives. May God bless this desire for unity and protect all those who walk the path of unity”. The Pontiff refereed to the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity that we are celebrating in almost all of his greetings to the various language groups. In French, he said: “Our hope for unity is expressed through prayer; it is a hope that does not disappoint. I invite you to pray for this intention”. The Spanish-speaking pilgrims, too, were invited to pray “insistently for the unity of all Christians”. In Portuguese, the Pope recalled that “the ecumenical movement bears fruit, with God’s grace. May our Heavenly Father continue to pour out His blessings on the steps of all of His children. Serve the cause of unity and peace!”. To the Polish faithful, Pope Francis cited the “motto” of the Week – “The love of Christ compels us towards reconciliation” – calling it a “challenge”: “Let us pray to the Lord that all our Christian communities, through a better knowledge of their own history, theology and law, may become increasingly open to cooperation. May we be filled with a spirit of benevolence and understanding, as well as with the will to collaborate”. Finally, he greeted the Italian-speaking pilgrims as is custom at the end of his Wednesday audiences: “Dear young people – Pope Francis encouraged them -, pray that all Christians be one family; dear sick people, offer up your suffering for the cause of unity in the Church; and you, dear newlyweds, experience the freedom of the gift of love, which is the kind that God bears for humanity”.