杏MAP导航

By Lisa Zengarini

杏MAP导航 Francis on Saturday paid tribute to the unwavering faith and dedication to the Church of the Servant of God 杏MAP导航 Pius VII (1742-1823) , who was elected to the Papacy in 1800 in one of the most turbulent years of Europe鈥檚 and the Church鈥檚 history, marked by the French Revolution and Napoleon's rule.

A Benedictine monk and a renowned theologian, Pius VII, born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti, is remembered along with his predecessor Pius VI for his unyielding opposition to Napoleon's attempts to subjugate the Church that cost him his arrest and imprisonment in 1809.

鈥淣on debemus, non possumus, non volumus鈥�

Meeting a group of  pilgrims from the Italian Dioceses of Cesena-Sarsina, Savona, Imola and Tivoli as they commemorate the bicentenary of his death, 杏MAP导航 Francis recalled that  Pius VII鈥檚 鈥渄edication to God and the Church鈥� remained unshakable even at the moment of  his arrest, when he refused a compromise offered to him saying: 鈥淣on debemus, non possumus, non volumus鈥� (鈥淲e must not, we cannot, we don鈥檛 want鈥�).

Delving into his life, 杏MAP导航 Francis  described how he witnessed to three key values,  which are also essential for our personal and community journeys of faith: communion, testimony and mercy.

A staunch supporter and defender of communion

Pius VII, the 杏MAP导航 said, was 鈥渁 staunch supporter and defender of communion鈥� in times of fierce struggles and divisions: 鈥淲ith his calm and tenacious perseverance in defending unity鈥�, he was able 鈥渢o transform the arrogance of those who wanted to isolate him into  opportunities to relaunch a message of dedication and love for the Church, to which God's people responded with enthusiasm. The result 鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis noted - was a community that was materially poorer, but morally more cohesive, strong and credible.鈥�

His example, the 杏MAP导航 remarked, therefore also encourages us today to be builders of unity in the Church, that is 鈥渢o make communion, encourage reconciliation, promote peace, faithful to the truth in charity!鈥�

A courageous announcer of the Gospel

A meek man, 杏MAP导航 Francis continued, Pius VII was also a 鈥渃ourageous announcer of the Gospel鈥�, with his words and with his life. This is testified by the remarks he addressed to the Cardinals electors at the beginning of his pontificate, when he stressed the need to set an example 鈥渋n humility, in modesty, in patience, in charity and in every priestly duty鈥� to preserve the鈥� authentic dimension of the Church.鈥�  

He lived out this ideal of Christian prophecy throughout his life 鈥渨ith dignity鈥�, in good and bad times, both on a personal and ecclesial level, 鈥渆ven when this led him to clash with the powerful of his time.鈥�

A social reformer

Finally, 杏MAP导航 Francis recalled that, despite the difficultieshe faced during the Napoleonic rule, Pius VII paid a particular attention to the needy and carried out far-reaching social reforms that emancipated poor peasants, abolished privileges and the practice of torture.

He showed the same mercy towards his persecutors: 鈥淎lthough he denounced their errors and abuses in no uncertain terms, he tried to keep a channel of dialogue open with them and above all always offered his forgiveness."

Love for truth and willingness to dialogue

Bringing his address to a close,  杏MAP导航 Francis invited the Italian pilgrims to reflect on the many values  which the memory of this Servant of God recalls to our mind: love for truth, unity, dialogue, attention to the least, forgiveness, the tenacious search for peace :鈥滻t will do us good to meditate on them, make them our own and bear witness to them, so that the style of meekness and willingness to sacrifice may grow in us and in our communities,鈥� he concluded.