Pope Francis Has A Very Happy Birthday With The Poor

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Pope Francis Has A Very Happy Birthday With The Poor

VATICAN CITY —

Pope Francis celebrated his 80th birthday on Saturday, sharing breakfast with eight homeless people before he celebrated Mass with some of his cardinals.

Pope Francis talked with each of the homeless guests which comprised of four Italians, two Romanians, a Moldovan and a Peruvian, The breakfast took place at the Vatican hotel where he resides. The group feasted on traditional Argentinian cakes before celebrating to Mass with the Holy Father the Vatican said.

The guests presented the Pontiff with a bouquet of sunflowers.

As he spoke with his cardinals, Francis reflected on the aging process, telling them, “For some days now, I have had in mind a word that seems ugly: Old age, a thought that frightens.” But then he recalled his words during his first papal greeting in 2013, when he said: “Old age is the thirst for knowledge.”

He added: “I hope it will be the same for me.”

Later in the day the Pope met with Malta’s president.

Greetings arrived from all corners of the globe in the form of both personal messages and succinct tweets with the hashtag #Pontifex80.

U.S. President Barack Obama said Francis “has inspired people around the world with his message of compassion, hope and peace,” while Italian President Sergio Mattarella, recalled that the pope has called on Europeans to show solidarity with the less fortunate, in particular “migrants and all those who live at society’s margins.”

To help others celebrate his special day the pope sent enough birthday cakes for 1,500 people to kitchens serving the poor and homeless in Rome

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Pope Francis Daily