Francis to 6,000 young people gathered for a vigil: “Make some noise!”

Salvatore Cernuzio – Brussels

When they announced it from the stage of the Brussels Expo, about an hour before, interrupting the singing and the choirs: “Pope Francis will come here, among us!” there was a roar from the crowd. At the end of the meeting with a hundred Jesuits from Belgium and neighboring countries, just after his visit to the Catholic University of Louvain, the Pope wished to go to the arena near the King Baudouin stadium in Brussels, where he will celebrate mass on Sunday morning, to personally greet the approximately 6,000 young people gathered for a vigil entitled “Hope Happening”. An event of fraternity – almost a mini WYD – awaiting the Sunday liturgical celebration with the Sovereign Pontiff, his last meeting in Belgium, singing, dancing, praying and camping there for the night.

The arrival of the Pope

The participants, from Belgium but also from neighboring countries, young people but also families and babies, priests, nuns, groups of pilgrims, with flags and signs, bandanas and hats, thought they would not see the Pope that Sunday. Instead, at 8:40 p.m., to the notes of “Jesus Christ Superstar” – inevitable at every youth event – the black curtain of the stage opened and the Pope appeared, in his wheelchair, in the middle of the smoke bombs and purple lights reflected by the two huge neon crosses. Smartphones at arm’s length, tricolor flags of Belgium or white and yellow flags of the Vatican, applause, Francis takes a seat on a white chair and a young person asks him in Italian for his first selfie. Then, from the Pope, a look at the crowd which moved closer and closer to the barriers, hands raised in greeting and a simple: “Good evening!” before immediately engaging in dialogue.

Make some noise!

“I ask you a question: do you know what young people do? I will say: young people are making noise! And if you find a young person like that…” said the Pope, miming the gesture of sitting down, “boring… this young man lacks youth. My advice to you is: go for it. Make noise, always remember the Lord and prayer”.

Never look down on others

The speech seemed to have already ended, but the Pope interrupted the applause to offer another piece of advice: “I recommend you help others. I’ll tell you something, a question: is it good, is it pleasant to look down on someone?” And “noooo” rises from the floor. “There is only one situation where you can look down on a person. Do you know which one? You can’t look down on someone just to help them get up.”

The newborn, the biggest of all

From the center of the stage, François showed a child in his mother’s arms: “See that one? He is the greatest among you, because Jesus told us that the greatest is he who became a child.” Applause again, this time towards the toddler, and the Pope who, in the meantime, concluded: “Don’t give up praying. Now I give you the blessing. We will see each other tomorrow”.

A final salute to the crowd

Next to the Pope appeared the young mother with her newborn, who had since become the star of the evening. Francis blessed him, while the child had already burst into tears, disturbed by the noise. A final farewell then, at the end of a day which ended with this lovely surprise from François to the young people.