Pope Francis sent message from hospital to world artists

Vatican City, Feb 17^th. - From the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome, where he recovers from bronchitis, Pope Francis today sent a message on the occasion of the Jubilee of Artists and the World of Culture.

In the Sunday Angelus text, released by the Holy See's press office, the Supreme Pontiff thanked the Dicastery for Culture and Education of the Vatican for the preparation of this event, which reminds us of the importance of art as a universal language.

The art itself, as the Holy Father points out in that document, "disseminates beauty and unites peoples, helping to bring harmony to the world and silence all the cry of war."

Also in the papal homily, read by Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonáa, during the Mass celebrated this morning in the Basilica of St.Peter, the main event of this cultural jubilee, Francis said that art is not a luxury, but the need of the spirit. It is not a flight, but responsibility, invitation to action, called, cry.

The mission of the artists, he said, is not only to create beauty, but to reveal the truth, goodness and beauty hidden in the folds of history, to give voice to those who have no voice, to transform pain into hope.

We live in a time of complex crisis, which is economic and social and, above all, it is crisis of the soul, crisis of meaning, warned the Bishop of Rome, and stressed that the artist is the one who has the task of helping humanity not to lose direction, not to mislead the horizon of hope.

"I see in you the custodians of beauty who knows how to bow to the wounds of the world, who knows how to hear the cry of the poor, of those who suffer, at this time, in which new walls are erected, in which differences become a pretext for division, rather than an occasion of mutual enrichment," he added.

You, men and women of culture, are called to build bridges, to create spaces for encounter and dialogue, to enlighten minds and to light hearts, said and emphasized that educating in beauty means educating in hope.

Art is called to participate in the revolution of perspective in a world that, for this, has the need for prophetic artists, courageous intellectuals, of creators of culture, he said.

Pope Francis was unable to preside over these activities today, following the indication of medical personnel to maintain absolute rest in order to achieve an early recovery of the bronchitis he suffers, as indicated in his last part by the Vatican press office.

The spokesman, Matteo Bruni, informed the news media that the Pontiff had a good night's sleep, already without a fever, had breakfast and read the newspapers as he usually does, while continuing his therapy at the Gemelli Polyclinic, where he was hospitalized last Friday. (Text and Photo: PL)