MALMÖ -- Pope Francis has arrived in Sweden to participate in the ceremony of commemoration for the 500-year-anniversary of the Lutheran reform.

 En route to Sweden, the head of the Roman Catholic Church told journalists, “This trip is important because it is an ecclesiastical trip, within the field of ecumenicalism. Your work will really help people to understand properly what this trip is about -- thank you.”

 Monday is to see a ceremony in the Lund cathedral and an event in the Malmö Arena. The pontiff has announced four public interventions over his visit, alongside various testimonies from the LWF (Lutheran World Federation) and Caritas Internationalis (the confederation of 165 Catholic relief, development and social service organisations).

 Before parting for Sweden, the pope sent a message to Sergio Mattarella, the Italian president, stating, “I send you heartfelt wishes for the spiritual, civil and social wellbeing of the Italian people, and I send my blessing.”

 The Italian president replied, “Your holiness, I would like to truly congratulate you and thank you sincerely for the message that you addressed to me when you left for your apostolic trip to Sweden. Italy watches this mission carefully, as it represents a stage of principal significance in the ecumenical dialogue. Your presence at the Lutheran-Catholic commemoration of the reform sends a message of peace and concordance to Europe and to the world, and feeds a fruitful dialogue which consents the crossing of divisions within the Christian world.”

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