(ANSA) - Vatican City, December 17 - Pope Francis celebrated
his 79th birthday on Thursday with messages from well wishers
within the Church and political sphere.
"Happy birthday @Pontifex_it! Your smile is our hope!"
wrote MP Ernesto Magorno of Premier Matteo Renzi's Democratic
Party (PD) in a message on his Twitter profile.
Don Flavio Peloso, director general of charitable works
organization Opera Don Orione, hailed the "revolution of
tenderness" enacted by the pope.
"There is not even need for lots of theological terms to
understand it, the pope says clearly that we all need
tenderness," Don Peloso continued.
"With you the Church is like a ship in full sail towards
the most needy," wrote the Franciscan friars in Assisi, adding
that they were praying for the pope on the saint's tomb.
The association of Italian Catholic Doctors and the
Pharmaceuticals Bank Foundation also sent their best wishes to
Francis for his birthday.
Pope Francis turns 79
Messages pour in for pontiff