Lima, Peru, Jun 5, 2015 / 05:33 am
Upon seeing pictures from the 2015 March for Life in Lima, Peru, Pope Francis had a message for the faithful of the South American country: "keep shaking things up."
The Holy Father offered these words of encouragement to Peruvian Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani, after the June 3 General Audience at the Vatican, according to a statement by the Archdiocese of Lima.
The cardinal was in Rome to participate in meetings of the Holy See's Council for the Economy.
During their meeting in Saint Peter's Square, Cardinal Cipriani showed Pope Francis photographs of the huge crowds in attendance at the 2015 March for Life in the Peruvian capital on March 12.
The event brought together more than half a million people in defense of life from the moment of conception to natural death.
Cardinal Cipriani also showed the Holy Father pictures of the recent Pentecost Encounter, which brought together more than 4,000 faithful in Exposition Park as part of the 20th Synod of the Archdiocese of Lima.
After looking at the pictures, the archdioceses said, Pope Francis expressed his great joy to the cardinal and asked the Peruvian faithful to "keep shaking things up."
The historic 2015 March for Life doubled the number of participants over the previous year and became one of the largest pro-life demonstrations in the world. The march this year included residents not only from Lima, but from other cities throughout Peru.
On that occasion, Pope Francis sent a message of cordial greeting "to the participants in the March for Life taking place in Lima, and to those who join in prayer and in the commitment to defend life and promote the fundamental good of human life, from conception to its natural end."
"Long live life!" (Viva la vida!), the pope declared, in his message read by Cardinal Cipriani.