Vatican City, Apr 23, 2016 / 05:11 am
Pope Francis on Saturday heard the confessions of young people in St. Peter's Square as part of this weekend's Jubilee for Boys and Girls, an event which is expected to draw tens of thousands of teenagers from around the world.
Sitting on simple chairs out in the open along with other priests just within the Square's colonnade, the Pope offered the sacrament of reconciliation to 16 boys and girls between 11:30am and 12:45, the Vatican press office said. More than 150 priests were in the square to hear confessions, according to Vatican Radio.
This is not the first time Pope Francis has heard the confessions of pilgrims. Most recently, the Pope took part in a penance service during the March 4 "24 Hours for the Lord."
The Jubilee for Boys and Girls, which is the latest initiative for the Jubilee Year of Mercy, is directed specifically towards young teenagers.