Pope Francis apologizes to Romani people, asks forgiveness for discrimination, mistreatment and segregation

Agence-France Presse (AFP) reports that Pope Francis, speaking in the name of the Catholic Church at the close of a three-day visit to Romania yesterday, asked Romani people to forgive the discrimination, mistreatment and segregation they have experienced from the church. "I ask for your forgiveness in the name of the Church - from the Lord and from you - for cases when we have discriminated against you in the past, treated you badly and viewed you with mistrust," the Pope said when meeting with representatives of the Romani minority.
Pope Francis went on to say that after meeting with local residents, his heart became heavy. "It was heavy because your communities have lived through so many experiences of discrimination, segregation and ill-treatment. History shows us that this evil is not unknown to Christians and Catholics," the Pope said.
"It is indifference that provides fertile ground to prejudice and also fuels grudges," the Pope continued. According to Reuters, the Pope's communications could increase tensions between Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini and the Vatican, because the Pope has also clashed with Salvini several times over migration.
After the Pope received a group of Roma at the Vatican in May of this year, Salvini responded by repeating his promise to close all of the encampments occupied by Romani people in Italy. The Roma are the biggest ethnic minority in Europe, with an estimated 10-12 million Roma living in many different states such as Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, France, Greece, Hungary and Italy.
About six million Roma are estimated to live on the territory of the European Union, comprising 1.2 % of the population. According to human rights organizations, Romani people frequently fall victim to prejudice and social exclusion.
VIDEO
Don't miss:
- Pope stands up for Romani people attacked by (neo)Fascists in Rome who threatened rape
- Romania loses at the European Court of Human Rights, must compensate Roma family for police brutality
- Romania: 900 protest recent violence against Roma in Italy and Ukraine, more demonstrations in other European countries to follow
- Feminist Roma theater company celebrates the abolition of Roma slavery in Romania
- Romania: Romani Actresses Shine a Spotlight on Feminism
- Stano Daniel: Will a renovated nursery school have to close in Romania? Support for Romani child development is crucial
- European Roma and Travellers Forum asks Pope to revise his rhetoric on Roma
- Romani participant in international pilgrimage: Meeting the Pope is the experience of a lifetime
- Address of His Holiness Pope Francis: Meeting with participants in the pilgrimage of Gypsies
- Pope Francis to Roma: Your nation deserves a new story
- LIVE BROADCAST 10:30 GMT today: Romani people meet with Pope Francis
- Pope Francis asks forgiveness for crimes against indigenous people and criticizes "new colonialism"
- Pope Francis pays surprise visit to immigrants in former camp for Roma
- Pope Francis wishes hope and peace for Romani families in Italy
- Commentary: Pope Francis is right - Roma are often modern-day slaves
- Almost 2 000 Romani people granted historic audience with the Pope
- Mourners pay last respects to the first Czech Romani spiritual member of the Catholic Church
- Sarkozy to see Pope after French crackdown on Gypsies
- City council sets aside sites for gypsies arriving to see Pope in Birmingham
- France: Church defends Roma, Gitanes from repressive new laws
- Church charity to offer help to Czech Romanies moved from Vsetin
Related articles:
- Romania: 100 Roma demonstrate in Bucharest in front of Russian Embassy with mockup of the tank that Romani Ukrainians captured from the occupiers
- Pope Francis receives Romani footballers, including Jaroslav Horváth and Lukáš Pulko of the Czech Republic, ahead of friendly match
- Slovak Government apologizes for anti-Jewish measures during WWII
- Romanian town must finally compensate some members of a forcibly evicted Romani community
- Slovakia: Those planning to attend public events with Pope Francis have to register online
- Slovak President and Plenipotentiary for Roma object to wave of hate and racism following announcement of Pope's visit to Romani neighborhood
- Czech Bishops Conference distances itself from candidates running with extremists
- More Roma citizens of Romania attempting to cross from Mexico into the USA to seek asylum this year
- Local Communist Party cell in Czech Republic posts antigypsyist defamation to official website, party apologizes
- Pope supports registered partnership for same-sex couples, Romani community member in the Czech Republic calls it progress
- Romanian chief of local police filmed beating handcuffed Romani men as they lie on the ground
- VIDEO: Ostentatious homes built by Roma community in Romania reflect their desire for prestige