POPE TO PARTICIPATE IN FAMILY FESTIVAL

The Holy Family: Model of Christian families

MILAN, Italy, MAY 25, 2012 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI will take part in a festival of families next weekend during his trip to Milan for the 7th World Meeting of Families.

The Saturday evening event, called “One World, Family, Love,” will include the “Celebration of Testimonies,” in which Benedict XVI will participate.

It will be broadcast live from Milan and include the participation of families from five continents.

The Holy Father will arrive at Bresso at 8:35 pm, he will lead moments of prayer and reflection and will stay with the young people and families for about an hour, answering the questions of families from the various continents.

The evening events, which are free, will be preceded by an afternoon of intense celebration. From 4 to 7 in Milan’s North Airport Park of Bressano “JubilFamily – The Joy of Being Family,” will be staged.

During the three intense hours, numerous groups and testimonies will alternate, especially the winners of the “Young Talents for the Pope” competition, promoted by the Milan 2012 Families Foundation, in collaboration with the Hope Association and directed to musicians and youthful musical groups from Lombardy. More than 100 young people, divided in nine groups, will perform for the tens of thousands of people.

During the afternoon, there will be time for the testimonies of Italian families and those of other continents: a five-year-old Albanian boy, a couple from the “Families for Hospitality” Association, the Fantu family from Ethiopia, the Favoti family (parents of three-year old twins and one-year-old triplets). Also the testimony of a family of missionaries, a couple from Nomadelfia which lives the community experience. And Betti and Alfonso of Renewal in the Spirit will give testimony of a family under trial: from crisis to reunification.