To The Sick in the Malatesta Temple

On Sunday, 29 August 1982, the Holy Father visited the sick in the Malatesta Temple, Rimini, assuring them that they are “the privileged heirs, of Christ's sufferings, of his Cross.”

Dear brothers and sisters.

Today this Church is full of you, your Bishop has introduced you: his priests, nuns and many other sick and suffering people. This Church, Cathedral Basilica, is, today, physically full of you. However, I would like to tell you that it is always full of you. You are present here, you are present in a very special way, perhaps more than others, because you are very close to Christ crucified. This is a mystery, it is the mystery of God who wanted to save us through the humiliation, the crucifixion of his Son, the Word of God made man. It is still a mystery that this cross is shared by so many men and women, brothers and sisters. It's a mystery. Behold, today this Church, full of you physically, but also always full of you mystically, you build in a very special way, because you are the heirs, the privileged heirs, of Christ's sufferings, of his Cross.

Walking down the nave of the Church, I shook hands with everyone who was near the barriers. Then, through them, this gesture was passed on to others. This is a significant sign: I gave you my hands to show you that we are united, indeed to show you my profound desire to be ever more united. I so much desire this union with the suffering; it is my strength, because my strength is the Cross of Christ and the Cross of Christ is present in your suffering.

I want to hug you all, I want to hug each one, I would like to be close to each one and I commend myself to your prayers and your sacrifices. I recommend myself and I recommend the whole Church and the world, a world that runs an ever greater, ever greater risk, and has an ever greater need of the Cross and redemption. This is why I recommend to you the Church and the world, and also my person, the person of the Bishop, the person of the Pope who must serve the Church and the world.

I would like to address a final word to those who assist you, to the various people, women and men, of UNITALSI and other Associations. Brothers and sisters, I am grateful to you for this continued attitude of good Samaritans. I am grateful to you and I only say: continue.

Now, dear ones, let us express our faith by singing the "Pater noster", then, together with the Bishops present here, I will impart the apostolic blessing to you.

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