Pope Francis takes aim at ‘blasphemous, evil’ Mafia during visit to Sicily
Since becoming pope in 2013, Francis has openly confronted the mafia and called on the faithful to stop all collaboration with them
Pope Francis denounced the Mafia’s “blasphemous” existence on Saturday during a visit to Sicily to honour a priest murdered by the mob 25 years ago while trying to save youngsters in poor neighbourhoods from falling into their hands.
The brief visit, which will see the 81-year-old pontiff stay on the Italian island until evening, is part of a wider campaign he has been waging against organised crime.
“You can’t believe in God and belong to the mafia. Those who belong to the mafia don’t lead a Christian existence because their lives are blasphemous,” he said at an open-air mass near Palermo’s port, where some 100,000 had gathered according to official estimates.
“Change! Stop thinking about yourselves and your money, convert!”
His impassioned plea echoed the words of Jean Paul II who during a May 1993 trip to the island had also called on mobsters to abandon crime and urged Sicilians to revolt against the mafia.
Those who belong to the mafia don’t lead a Christian existence because their lives are blasphemous
The mobsters responded two months later with attacks on two Catholic churches.