“Please, thanks, and sorry”, is Pope Francis recipe for a lasting marriage.
The Holy Father offered this advice on Friday, St Valentine’s Day, to 10,000 engaged couples from 30 different countries, who accepted his offer of ‘a special date’ and joined him in St Peter’s Square.
Speaking to the fiancés, Francis said expressions of courtesy, gratitude and contrition go a long way towards conserving and enhancing love over time.
“Never finish the day without making peace!” he begged them.
“If you end the day without making peace, what you have inside becomes hard and cold and it becomes harder to make peace the following day.”
Francis joked that we all make mistakes and that no one is perfect.
“The perfect family doesn’t exist, nor the perfect husband nor wife. Let’s not even talk about the perfect mother-in-law,” the pontiff said.
Originally planned to be held inside a Vatican auditorium, the response from engaged couples to Francis’ Valentine’s Day invitation was so great that the event was held in the Piazza.
The pope also tweeted: “Dear young people, don’t be afraid to marry. A faithful and fruitful marriage will bring you happiness.”
Winter in Rome, and after several weeks of rain, perfect weather greeted the crowd.
Sources