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Ah Paris… the famous city of love. Top honeymoon destination, perfect place to spend a romantic weekend, especially on St. Valentine's Day. But why is Paris considered one of the most romantic places in the world? Let us give you just a few reasons!
Beauty, art and aesthetics
Paris strikes you with its beauty on every step, its architecture, monuments, little alleys, cozy bars and restaurants, the River Seine, the gardens… All that makes it one of the most charming cities in the world and helps to create the perfect setting and atmosphere for love. If there is one thing that stands out in this city, it is the care for aesthetics, everything here tries to appeal to an incessant beauty and harmony.
So how did it get the reputation of being the city of love? It all started at the end of the 18th century. Back then Paris was home to a number of artists of the Romantic period who immortalized the city in their works. Romanticism was born at the end of the 18th century, it was a new artistic trend, which spread throughout Europe. Its main focus were feelings and art was created to evoke strong emotions.
This was also the time when Paris changed its face completely - in the mid 19th century the city was rebuilt, with grand and elegant avenues, new buildings created such as the Opera Garnier and the Eiffel Tower among others. It was then that Paris became the capital of art and the home of many Romantic writers and poets, who give priority in their works to feelings, and of course, to love! There are plenty of poems, books and writings to prove it. Many artists have described Paris as their muse. Reading poems and books, seeing the artwork that was inspired by the city definitely reinforces the romantic view of Paris.
So where to see those works of art? Paris has some of the best museums in the world, the list is long! When visiting the city for the first time you should definitely head to the Louvre and the Orsay Museum. But Paris also boast… the Museum of Romantic Life! Located at the foot of Montmartre it is devoted to romantic female writers George Sand, a center of the Paris literary scene of the time, famous for both her works and her affairs with several artists, including Chopin. It also has a nice garden to relax with your loved one.
Love movies!
Art, poems, songs, but nowadays especially movies create our vision of Paris as the city of love and give it its incredible aura. Those who have never been to Paris, definitely saw it many times in films, TV series and even advertisements. So even without really knowing the city very much we associate it with love.
Many romantic movies have been shot in Paris over the years. Some famous examples are Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulin, Before Sunset, Moulin Rouge, Everyone says I love you, Midnight in Paris… Those who like classic films will never forget the ending of Casablanca and the ode to love between Rick and Ilsa and the quote “We’ll always have Paris.” In recent years, the Netflix series Emily in Paris has also become immensely popular and helped to reinforce the image of Paris as the city of great fashion, food and love.
Tell me about love... in French!
Despite sounding a bit cliché, French language is definitely something that adds an extra charm to your visit in Paris. French is considered to be one of the most romantic (and sexiest) languages in the world, and it’s often called the language of love, le langage de l'amour. It has a sweet, sensual sonority and melody we all love. “I love you" in French Je t'aime has become an international way to express deep love to somebody.
The most romantic experiences in Paris
We gave you some of the reasons why Paris is called the city of love. Now time has come for a few tips and recommendations on how to spend romantic time in Paris.
- Paris at night. When you walk through the city in the evening, you will find it beautifully illuminated. For one reason or another, it feels much more magical here compared to other cities. Some of Paris’ most iconic landmarks, like the Eiffel Tower, the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Basilica of Sacré-Coeur, will be lit up, and it’s quite magical! This makes Paris an incredibly romantic destination for an evening walk.
- Dinner on the Seine. The views of Paris at night from the river are breathtaking. Many of the city's emblematic monuments are on the banks of the Seine, such as the Cathedral, the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. That's why dining on one of the boats that travel along the river will be a wonderful experience, both for the views and for the palate.
- The bridges of Paris are also very romantic, especially a walk in the evening through the Alexandre III bridge which is undoubtedly one of the most romantic bridges in the city. It was the first bridge lit with an electric lighting and it is known for appearing in many films, TV series and commercials. It also offers a beautiful view of the Eiffel Tower. The other bridge to visit is the Pont des Arts, known as the Bridge of Love, as lovers put padlocks on it, as a symbol that is to seal their love forever. Unfortunately the bridge collapsed in recent years as it got too heavy, there were too many padlocks there! Although it’s no longer possible to put your lovelock there, Pont des Arts still is an incredibly romantic place to visit.
- Gardens: with more than 400 parks and gardens, Paris is one of the greenest cities in Europe. Definitely visit the beautiful Jardin du Luxembourg. In this garden there is even “a fountain of lovers” or the Medici Fountain. It was Queen Maria de Medici who ordered the construction of these gardens and the fountain has remained as a symbol of love and a place where lovers meet to stroll along the gardens.
- Let’s not forget about the Eiffel Tower! It is the symbol of Paris par excellence. This 300-meter-high iron tower, built in 1889, is located on the Champ de Mars, next to the River Seine, and is the tallest building in Paris. It is one of the most visited places in the whole city. Getting there you will often see couples, many people will choose this place to propose. Champ de Mars is also a good place to bring baguette, fromage and wine and have a picnic with your loved one!
- A stroll through Montmartre. The neighborhood on the hill above the Sacré-Coeur was famous way before the film Amélie was made, as it is a place full of charm and unique atmosphere. Strolling through its steep streets is a must for all couples looking for romantic places in Paris. And while you're there, you can admire the I Love You Wall. On the wall 311 times in approximately 280 different languages the phrase “ I love you” is written. You will find it in French, English and other major languages. The wall was created by a French artist Federic Baron. It combines contradictions - the wall is something that separates, generates borders and limitations, also different languages limit us and prevents us from understanding one another, however, the wall carries a strong message that love unites us, and it is a universal language. The wall stands as a symbol for reconciliation and reuniting the world. Today, the I Love You Wall is a popular spot where many lovers meet. While walking around Montmartre don't forget about our tour which will give you a perfect introduction to this charming, artistic neighbourhood.
- Restaurants and cafeterias. Finally the ultimate reason to visit Paris - food! It will be a straight path to the heart of your beloved! Paris is full of small, romantic restaurants offering delicious French cuisine. This is another reason why Paris is the number one destination for couples looking for romantic time! From delicious wine and champagne, cheese, foie gras up to desserts… Paris offers some of the best food in the world. The combination of yummy food and romantic restaurants make this city perfect for a romantic getaway. Many of the restaurants you see in Paris have kept their antique décor making them very charming and cozy. Some of the most romantic restaurants in Paris in our opinion are: Le Petite Bouillon Pharamond, Le Bouillon Julien, La Tour d’Argent and Girafe. The last one offers an amazing view of the Eiffel Tower!
So if you are looking for a place to spend a romantic weekend or even to propose, Paris will not disappoint you! Come here and feel the amour! ❤️
Eva Serrano
https://freewalkingtour.com/paris-the-city-of-love/ |
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Did you know there are eight Statue of Liberty replicas in Paris?
Here’s the inside guide for how to find all the Statue of Liberty replicas in Paris. Note: One of the liberties is on loan to the US, so technically there are only seven.
First: a lightning quick guide for those who don’t know: The Statue of Liberty was designed by French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and constructed by Gustave Eiffel (yes, the man who made the Eiffel Tower). Liberty was gifted the to US by the French in the late 1880s.
So, here’s where to find the Liberty statues in Paris (and beyond).
The podcast episode
Here’s a quick explainer of it all in podcast form, plus some info about our grand plans to find them all Live on YouTube for July 4th, 2024.
The interactive map
Now, here’s an interactive map of all the Liberty statues to help you find them.
1. The biggest
The grandest replica of all is just off the Grenelle Bridge on the little man-made island called Île aux Cygnes. That’s it pictured above (and below). While Liberty in New York was a gift from the French, this statue in Paris was a gift from the Americans in Paris. And it’s the biggest too, at 11.50 metres (37 feet 9 inches) – which is exactly a quarter as big as the one in New York.
2. The hardest to find
There’s a Liberty nestled in the Jardin de Luxembourg in the sixth arrondissement. You can find it on the western edge of the park. Here’s what it looks like today. It’s just one of many, many statues in the park, so you’re forgiven if you can’t find her straight away.
3. The most prestigious
Head inside the famed Musee d’Orsay on the Left Bank to find this Liberty, which is located in the grand central aisle on the ground floor.
In fact, if you want an in-depth history of Lady Liberty and France, head over to the Musee d’Orsay’s site for much more information.
Subscribe to the Earful Tower newsletter
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4 and 5. The closest two Lady Libs
If you want a two-for-one deal, head to the Arts-et-Metiers museum in the third arrondissement. There’s a Liberty replica right out the front of the building (well, not anymore… it’s on loan to the US). And if you head inside the museum, there’s another perched atop a display in the centre of the main hall.
 
6. The smallest
You’ll have to look very closely for this one. First you’ve got to find the 5m tall statue called Le Centaure at 2 Place Michel Debré in the 6th arrondissement. It was made by French artist César in 1985 and depicts a centaur. And emerging from the breastplate of this centaur you might be able to see a tiny liberty poking out! Full statue followed by a closeup:
 
7. The private Liberty
A listener alerted me to this one and it’s inside a private building. But, if you ever happen to have business at 5 rue du Cirque in the 8th you’ll see a sizeable Liberty in the lobby. Here’s a closer look.
8. The floatiest
There’s an EIGHTH Liberty on top of a péniche by the Eiffel Tower. Who’d have thought? Here’s a pic via my Instagram account (go follow for much more from Paris).
https://theearfultower.com/2024/07/01/did-you-know-there-are-five-statue-of-liberty-replicas-in-paris/ |
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Pope Francis visits Mexico
The pope will be in Mexico from February 12-17, in Mexico City and the states of Mexico, Chiapas, Michoacan and Chihuahua.
Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores | 12 de febrero de 2016
 Vatican City State in Rome
Pope Francis is making his first pastoral visit to Mexico at the invitation of Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto.
The pope is making a pastoral visit with an official component, and will be received as Head of State, given that Mexico and the Holy See established diplomatic relations in 1992.
The official activities include a private meeting between His Holiness and the President in the National Palace and a parallel meeting between the Mexican delegation and the papal entourage. The pope will also greet senior officials from the various branches of government and the diplomatic corps accredited in Mexico.
The Mexican government recognizes the Holy See as an actor with great weight on the international agenda. The purpose of the visit is to give continuity to the high-level political dialogue in order to broaden the spectrum of cooperation and joint actions.
During the official meetings, ways to reach solutions to global challenges such as environmental protection, peace and security, the protection of migrants, inclusive development, the fight against poverty, nuclear disarmament and human rights, will be discussed.
https://www.gob.mx/sre/articulos/pope-francis-visits-mexico |
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(Photo: AP)
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Mar 1, 2016
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Pope Francis in Mexico
Pope Francis visited Mexico from Feb. 12–17, during which he brought a message of solidarity with the victims of drug violence, human trafficking and discrimination to some of that country's most violent and poverty-stricken regions.
Historic stopover in Cuba
The pope’s flight from Rome to Mexico City made a stopover in Havana, where he met briefly with Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill. With an exclamation of "Finally," Pope Francis embraced Kirill during the Feb. 12 meeting, the first between a pontiff and the head of the Russian Orthodox Church. The meeting in Havana's airport was a significant event in the 1,000-year schism that has divided Christianity.
A very full itinerary
Once in Mexico, Pope Francis engaged in a fully packed itinerary. On Saturday, Feb. 13, he participated in a welcoming ceremony at the National Palace in Mexico City, and then paid a visit to the president of the republic, Enrique Pena Nieto. He also met with civil authorities, the diplomatic corps and the bishops of Mexico, and then celebrated Mass in the Basilica of Guadalupe. On Sunday, Feb. 14, Pope Francis said Mass in Ecatepec, a suburb of Mexico City, and then returned to Mexico City to visit the Pediatric Hospital, Federico Gómez, and met with cultural representatives in the National Auditorium.
Monday, Feb. 15, the Holy Father traveled to San Cristóbal de Las Casas to celebrate Mass with the indigenous community of Chiapas, and pay a visit to the cathedral there. He then flew to Tuxtla Gutiérrez, where he met with families at the Victor Manuel Reyna Stadium.
On Tuesday, Feb. 16, he travelled to Morelia, where he celebrated Mass with priests, religious, consecrated persons and seminarians. He ended the day meeting with young people at José María Morelos y Pavón Stadium.
A visit to Ciudad Juárez filled his final day in Mexico. In Juárez, he visited the Cereso 3 prison, and met with the World of Work at the Colegio de Bachilleres dello Stato of Chihuahua. Late in the afternoon, he stood on a platform above the Rio Grande River, where thousands had gathered on both the U.S. and Mexican sides of the border, imparting his blessing on them. He also celebrated Mass at the fairgrounds in Ciudad Juárez before departing for Rome.
Significant messages from the Pope’s visit to Mexico
In Mexico City
In his homily at the Basilica of Guadalupe, the Holy Father said, referring to the apparition of the Blessed Virgin to St. Juan Diego, “On that morning, God roused the hope of the little ones, of the suffering, of those displaced or rejected, of all who feel they have no worthy place in these lands.”
He warned of the temptations of wealth, vanity and pride during his talk at the Study Center of Ecatapec, saying “Three temptations which the Christian is faced with daily. Three temptations which seek to corrode, destroy and extinguish the joy and freshness of the Gospel. Three temptations which lock us into a cycle of destruction and sin.”
In San Cristobal de las Casas
While encouraging the world to more deeply appreciate indigenous cultures and to learn to care for the environment from them, he said, "The environmental challenge that we are experiencing and its human causes affects us all and demands our response. We can no longer remain silent before one of the greatest environmental crises in world history."
In Tuxtla Guiterrez
In Tuxtla Gutierrez, the capital of the state of Chiapas in one of the poorest regions of Mexico, he authorized the use of native languages in the celebration of Mass. As he met with families, he said, “It is true that living in family is not always easy … I prefer a wounded family that makes daily efforts to put love into play to a society that is sick from isolationism and habitually afraid of love. I prefer a family that makes repeated efforts to begin again, to a society that is narcissistic and obsessed with luxury and comfort.”P
In Morelia
In Morelia, Pope Francis told clergy and religious, “He has invited us to share in his life, his divine life, and woe to us if we do not share it, woe to us if we are not witnesses to what we have seen and heard, woe to us. We are not and do not want to be ‘administrators of the divine,’ we are not and do not want to be God’s employees.”
“You’ve asked me for a word of hope, the one I have to tell you, the one at the base of everything, is called Jesus Christ. When everything seems heavy, when it seems the world is against us, embrace your cross, embrace Jesus,” Pope Francis told a crowd of tens of thousands of mostly young Mexicans gathered in a soccer stadium in Morelia.
In Ciudad Juárez
In Ciudad Juárez, he told the thousands massed on the international border: "Here, as in other border areas, there are thousands of immigrants … Each step, a journey laden with grave injustices: the enslaved, the imprisoned and extorted; so many of these brothers and sisters of ours are the consequence of a trade in human beings. We cannot deny the humanitarian crisis that the past few years of immigration has signified, as thousands of people migrate … This crisis that may be measured in numbers, we want to measure with names, stories and families.”
And finally, during the Mass at Ciudad Juárez, the Holy Father implored, “No more death; no more exploitation! It’s not too late for change, for a way out, a time to implore the mercy of God. In this Year of Mercy, with you here, I beg for God’s mercy.”
What the pope really said about that wall …
A great deal of attention has focused on what the Holy Father said on his return trip to Rome from Mexico, when asked about a suggestion to “build a wall” along the border between the U.S. and Mexico. Pope Francis responded, “A person, who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian. This is not the Gospel.”
By the Numbers
1,000,000+ Number attending Mass at Ecatapec
70,000+ Number attending Juárez Mass
30,000 Number attending simulcast of Juárez Mass broadcast in El Paso, Tex.
760 Number of prisoners at Cereso 3 prison the pope spoke to
3 Number of different sombreros the pope was photographed wearing
https://faithmag.com/pope-francis-mexico |
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Pope Wants Mexico Free of 'Merchants of Death'
by Naharnet Newsdesk 14 February 2016, 12:31
Pope Francis celebrated an open-air mass with 300,000 Catholic faithful in a crime-plagued Mexican city on Sunday, urging them to create a country free of emigration and "merchants of death."
The pontiff used the service in Ecatepec, a rough Mexico City suburb, to touch on two major themes of his trip to Mexico -- drug violence and the plight of migrants.
The pope urged his flock to turn the country into a "land of opportunity," where "there will be no need to emigrate in order to dream" and where they will "not have to mourn men and women, young people and children who are destroyed at the hands of the merchants of death."
Ecatepec, a city of 1.6 million people, has become infamous for a spate of disappearances of women, whose bodies have turned up in abandoned lots or canals.
The city lies in the populous state of Mexico, where some 600 women have been killed between January 2014 and September 2015, according to the non-governmental National Citizen Observatory of Femicides.
Francis urged the faithful to resist the three temptations of Christ -- vanity, pride and wealth -- during the homily.
"Brothers and sisters, let's get this into our heads: You can't talk with the devil. You can't talk with him because he will always defeat us," the 79-year-old emphasized, going off-script from his prepared remarks.
"Only the Word of God can defeat him. We have opted for Jesus and not the devil," he said.
The pontiff received a jubilant welcome after arriving from Mexico City in a helicopter, which had flown him over the majestic Moon and Sun pyramids of the pre-Columbian city of Teotihuacan.
Throngs lined the concrete-laden streets of Ecatepec, whose walls were decorated with graffiti art featuring the pope's image, to cheer the popemobile on the second full day of a trip that will take him to other Mexican hotspots.
Thousands had spent the night outdoors, wrapping themselves in blankets and using cardboard as makeshift tents against the freezing cold.
Hundreds of police officers stood guard around the field.
"We know that Ecatepec has a lot of problems like the lack of security and kidnappings," said Rodrigo Perez, a 25-year-old public security student.
But the pope's visit, he said, is a chance to "talk about peace and unity."
- 'Prophetic courage' -
The Argentine-born pontiff made it clear before his arrival in Mexico that he would speak out about the corruption and crime afflicting parts of the country.
Two massacres served as reminders of Mexico's ills during his visit: 49 inmates died in a prison riot in the northern city of Monterrey on the eve of his arrival while 13 people were shot dead in the drug cartel-plagued Pacific state of Sinaloa on Saturday.
Francis used his visit to the National Palace and the capital's cathedral on Saturday to bluntly urge political and religious leaders to provide Mexicans with "true justice" and combat drug violence with "prophetic courage."
Many Mexicans, fed up with a decade of drug violence that has left 100,000 dead or missing, had hoped to hear such words from the pope.
Francis has chosen to visit some of Mexico's most troubled regions during his five-day trip to the world's second most populous Catholic country.
The crimes against women in the state of Mexico, which surrounds the capital, prompted the federal government to declare a "gender violence alert" requiring protective measures in 11 towns, including Ecatepec.
- Faith in God -
https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/202126-pope-wants-mexico-free-of-merchants-of-death
Ana Yeli Perez, legal adviser at the National Citizen Observatory of Femicides, said the organization is "concerned about the lack of visibility of the issue because the government controls it. We hope the pope speaks about it."
But Karla Paola Romero, a 21-year-old activist who was nearly kidnapped three years ago, said gender violence would not be resolved "with a miracle."
Romero, who was not at the mass, spoke near a hill where a woman's body was found in December. The victim had been raped and hanged.
The pope will face other tough issues during his trip.
On Monday, he visits Mexico's poorest and least Catholic region, the southern indigenous state of Chiapas.
On Tuesday, he heads to the capital of Michoacan, a western state scarred by drug cartel violence.
The pope caps his trip in Mexico's former murder capital, Ciudad Juarez, for a mass that will straddle the US-Mexico border to highlight the plight of migrants.
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Pope Francis preaches conversion during Mass in crime-plagued Mexican city
Pope Francis began his travels to Mexico’s “peripheries” by visiting the overcrowded, sprawling settlement of Ecatepec, on the northern edge of Mexico City, known internationally as a hunting ground for girls to force into prostitution and for boys to enlist in the drug trade.
Pope Francis celebrated Mass on Sunday on a vast open field with some 300,000 people in attendance. The high altar platform was decorated with Aztec designs — flowers and birds — made of flowers and petals.
More than 1.7 million people live in Ecatepec, which, Vatican Radio described as “a lawless neighborhood where organised crime, pollution and poverty reign and where most people fear to tread,” although it also has smart gated communities and a new shopping mall with dozens of shops and restaurants.
Like Ciudad Juarez in the north was a decade ago, Ecatepec has now become famous as a place where it is particularly dangerous to be a woman because of murders, kidnappings and human trafficking.
Sister Angelica Garcia Barela, a member of the Servant Missionaries of the Word, was thrilled the Pope was visiting. “He comes to show the faith and to change hearts. The Pope’s faith, his enthusiasm and joy, isn’t fleeting and it’s contagious. Much can change.”
With other members of her order, Sister Garcia spent the night at the Mass site so she would be in place early to watch over the pre-consecrated hosts she would help distribute during Communion to people far from the papal altar.
Her main ministry is going door to door sharing the Bible with families. She knows how to evangelise and said Pope Francis is the perfect example of “evangelisation through presence.”
After Mass, Pope Francis recited the Angelus with the thousands gathered on the dusty field. Before leading the prayer, he recognised “how much each one of you has suffered to reach this moment, how much you have ‘walked’ to make this day a day of feasting, a time of thanksgiving.”
He urged the people to step up and work together to “make this blessed land of Mexico a land of opportunities.”
Pope Francis departs aboard the popemobile after the Mass in Ecatepec (AP)
It should be a land where, he said, there is “no need to emigrate in order to dream, no need to be exploited in order to work, no need to make the despair and poverty of many the opportunism of a few, a land that will not have to mourn men and women, young people and children who are destroyed at the hands of the dealers of death.”
In his homily, Pope Francis did not specifically mention the violence against women or the drug traffickers, but instead addressed the ways in which people give into little temptations that too easily grow into great evil.
In the Gospel story of Jesus being tempted by the devil in the desert, the Pope said, “Jesus does not respond to the devil with his own words, instead he uses the words of God, the words of Scripture. Because, brothers and sisters, ingrain this in your minds: You cannot dialogue with the devil!”
He added: “You cannot dialogue with the devil because he will always win. Only the power of the word of God can defeat him.”
Lent, the Pope said, is a time of conversion, which involves acknowledging each day how the devil tries to tempt and divide people. In a country known for huge inequalities in income and opportunity, Pope Francis denounced as a work of the devil the idea of “a society of the few and for the few.”
“Three great temptations” — wealth, vanity and pride — are behind such an attitude and so many other ills that destroy society and attack human dignity, he said.
The sinful use of money and material things, he said, is “seizing hold of goods destined for all and using them only for ‘my own people.'” It involves living off the sweat and labour of others, “even at the expense of their very lives,” the Pope said.
Such “bread,” he said, “tastes of pain, bitterness and suffering. This is the bread that a corrupt family or society gives its own children.”
“We know what it means to be seduced by money, fame and power,” Pope Francis said.
“For this reason, the Church gives us the gift of this Lenten season, invites us to conversion, offering but one certainty: he is waiting for us and wants to heal our hearts of all that tears us down. He is the God who has a name: mercy. His name is our wealth.”
At the end of Mass, Bishop Oscar Dominguez Couttolenc of Ecatepec told the Pope that “like many other places, we experience poverty and violence, made flesh in the pain of those who suffer because of corruption, hunger, poverty and all the manifestations of evil that lead to the deterioration of our common home.”
In response, he said, the faithful of Ecatepec pray, reflect and work, trying to live a “spirituality of communion,” a sense of solidarity strengthened by the Pope’s visit.
https://thecatholicherald.com/pope-francis-preaches-conversion-during-mass-in-crime-plagued-mexican-city/ |
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San Miguel Ecatepec
San Miguel Ecatepec es una comunidad con categoría de agencia municipal perteneciente a Tequisistlán y al Distrito de Tehuantepec, en el Estado de Oaxaca. Siendo la segunda localidad más poblada del municipio, solo por detrás de la cabecera municipal.2
 Iglesia de San Miguel Ecatepec, Tequisistlán
La localidad se encuentra a 30 km al sureste de la cabecera municipal sobre una brecha de carretera. Se ubican en las coordenadas geográficas:  16°15′37.8″N 95°45′28.1″O.3
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Papa Francisco en Ecatepec: Mexiquenses Recuerdan Cómo Fue la Visita del Pontífice en 2016
Marzo 5, 2025 | 13:35 CST |
Arturo de la Sancha
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Actualizado Marzo 5, 2025 | 13:35 CST
Habitantes de Ecatepec siguen recordando con devoción aquel día histórico cuando el papa Francisco estuvo en Ecatepec
Hace 9 años, el papa Francisco visitó el municipio de Ecatepec, Estado de México, por lo que hoy los vecinos se reúnen para pedir por la recuperación de su salud
El 14 de febrero de 2016, Ecatepec vivió un momento histórico: la visita del papa Francisco. Nueve años después, los fieles aún recuerdan aquel día con devoción, rezando por su salud y bienestar.
Un recuerdo que permanece vivo
Claudia Verónica, habitante de Ecatepec, conserva con cariño el recuerdo de haber visto al papa en persona.
Qué le podemos decir al papa Francisco, pues que lo amamos, que lo amamos, que como él siempre nos lo ha dicho: recen por mí. Estamos rezando por él, todo un pueblo.
Nota relacionada: Salud del Papa Francisco Mejora Luego de Crisis Respiratoria, Anuncia el Vaticano
Una visita histórica
La visita del papa Francisco fue un evento sin precedentes para Ecatepec. Fue la primera vez que la máxima autoridad de la Iglesia católica pisó este municipio y la segunda ocasión en la que un papa visitó el Estado de México.
La primera fue en 1990, cuando Juan Pablo II recorrió los municipios de Valle de Chalco, Tlalnepantla y Cuautitlán, dejando también una huella imborrable en la comunidad católica del estado.
El sacerdote Luis Martínez recuerda la sorpresa que causó la decisión del papa de visitar Ecatepec, un municipio que pocos esperaban que estuviera en su itinerario.
Yo decía: 'bueno, es probable que ponga sus ojos en Ecatepec', pero no me lo creía. Y ya un día nos llamó el obispo don Roberto Domínguez, que fue nuestro segundo obispo de Ecatepec, y nos dio la noticia: '¿Sabes qué? Va a venir el papa a Ecatepec'.
Nota Relacionada: Sheinbaum Llama Progresista al Papa Francisco Ante Cargos de Mujeres en el Vaticano
La relevancia de la visita papal
Nueve años después, los habitantes de Ecatepec siguen considerando la visita del papa Francisco como un hecho trascendental. Para muchos, su llegada representó un gesto de cercanía con una comunidad que, a menudo, se siente olvidada por las autoridades.
Ecatepec es uno de los municipios con mayor incidencia delictiva en el Estado de México y es considerado un foco rojo en feminicidios a nivel nacional. En este contexto, la presencia del Sumo Pontífice fue vista como un mensaje de esperanza.
Monseñor Luis Martínez Flores, de la Diócesis de Ecatepec, destaca la importancia del evento para los habitantes: "Que haya venido a Ecatepec fue un gesto muy importante de ir por los descartados".
Somos periferia de la Ciudad de México y aquí se viven muchas situaciones difíciles. Entonces, la visita del Papa vino a dar ese impulso.
Video: Papa Francisco No Participará, por Tercera Vez, En Ejercicios Espirituales de Cuaresma
Un mensaje que resuena hasta hoy
Durante su visita a Ecatepec, el papa Francisco ofició una misa multitudinaria, dejando un mensaje de reflexión sobre la dignidad humana y la necesidad de reconocer el valor de cada persona.
Cuántas veces experimentamos en nuestra propia carne, o en la de nuestra familia, en la de nuestros amigos o vecinos, el dolor que nace de no sentir reconocida esa dignidad que todos llevamos dentro. Cuántas veces hemos tenido que llorar y arrepentirnos por darnos cuenta de que no hemos reconocido esa dignidad en otros.
Hoy, los fieles de Ecatepec no olvidan aquella histórica jornada. Así como el papa intercedió por su municipio, ahora ellos elevan oraciones por su salud y bienestar.
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Un México sin violencia pide el papa Francisco en una misa multitudinaria en Ecatepec
MÉXICO/EFE — El papa llegó hoy a Ecatepec, un municipio del Estado de México que ostenta escalofriantes números de violencia y de marginalidad, y desde donde lanzó su deseo de un país “donde no haya necesidad de emigrar” o “acabar destruidos en las manos de los traficantes de la muerte”.
Ante las más de 300.000 personas que acudieron a la explanada del Centro de Estudios Superiores de la ciudad, Francisco invitó a los mexicanos a “estar en primera línea y participar en todas las iniciativas que ayuden a hacer de esta bendita tierra mexicana una tierra de oportunidad”.
Una tierra “donde no haya necesidad de emigrar para soñar; donde no haya necesidad de ser explotado para trabajar; donde no haya necesidad de hacer de la desesperación y la pobreza de muchos el oportunismo de unos pocos”, dijo el papa.
El mensaje de Francisco resonó en una ciudad que en 2014 triplicó, con una cifra de 35,9 homicidios por cada 100.000 habitantes, la media nacional y se situó entre las primeras posiciones de los municipios con mayor número de extorsiones, de acuerdo a datos del Sistema Nacional de Seguridad Pública (SNSP).
Pero donde además, a poca distancia de donde se celebró la misa, en un canal aparecen cada vez más arrojadas mujeres que han sido asesinadas.
Y el papa continuó: “Una tierra que no tenga que llorar a hombres y mujeres, a jóvenes y niños que terminan destruidos en las manos de los traficantes de la muerte”.
Durante la homilía, también Francisco había denunciado cómo el comportamiento del hombre crea “una sociedad de pocos y para pocos”.
El sermón habló a los fieles del tiempo de la Cuaresma, y les invitó a que en este periodo “ajusten los sentidos, abrir los ojos frente a tantas injusticias que atentan directamente contra el sueño y proyecto de Dios”.
También citó las tres tentaciones que rompen, dividen la imagen de Dios: La riqueza, la vanidad y el orgullo.
Sobre la riqueza dijo que “Es tener el pan a base del sudor del otro, o hasta de su propia vida. Esa riqueza que es el pan con sabor a dolor, amargura, a sufrimiento”.
Mientras que también criticó “la búsqueda de prestigio con base en la descalificación continua y constante de los que no son como uno”. “La búsqueda exacerbada de esos cinco minutos de fama que no perdona la fama de los demás, haciendo leña del árbol caído”, lamentó.
La tercera tentación que nombró fue “el orgullo”, el “ponerse en un plano de superioridad del tipo que fuese, sintiendo que no se comparte la vida común de los mortales”.
Por ello, Francisco recordó a los fieles que los católicos han “optado por Jesús y no por el demonio”, aunque “no es fácil”.
“Nos lo tenemos que meter en la cabeza: con el demonio no se dialoga, porque sólo la fuerza de la palabra de Dios le puede derrotar”, agregó improvisando sobre el discurso escrito.
Los fieles, que pasaron la noche en esta explanada a pesar del frío, esperaban un mensaje de esperanza del papa.
“Nos gustaría que el papa trajese un mensaje de esperanza. México lo necesita”, explicó a Efe Manuel Hernández, que ha llegado desde Tenancingo para poder asistir a la misa de Francisco.
“Qué nos traiga esperanza, bendiciones, armonía y que convierta el corazón de los malvados”, eran las peticiones de un grupo de mujeres que llegaban de una parroquia de Ecatepec.
“Que cambie todo esto”, añadían al hablar de los impresionantes números de “feminicidios” en esta ciudad y cómo las mujeres son “asaltadas, violadas y asesinadas” y “nadie hace nada”.
La jornada de hoy del papa Francisco se cerrará con la visita a un hospital pediátrico.
https://www.latimes.com/espanol/mexico/articulo/2016-02-14/hoyla-mex-un-mxico-sin-violencia-pide-el-papa-francisco-en-una-misa-multitudinaria-en-ecatepec-20160214 |
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