little girl braves barriers to deliver message to pope
Saturday 15 February 2025
Last Updated : GMT 05:17:37
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

On behalf of US' millions of undocumented migrants

Little girl braves barriers to deliver message to pope

Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

Emiratesvoice, emirates voice Little girl braves barriers to deliver message to pope

Sofia Cruz (2nd R), and her story soon went around the world
Washington - Arab Today

As Pope Francis drew nearer and nearer in his open-sided popemobile and the crowd in Washington whooped, squealed and quivered, the little girl with black pigtails spotted her chance.

Her name was Sofia Cruz, and her story soon went around the world: how a five-year-old had the bravado to deliver a message to the pope on behalf of the United States' millions of undocumented migrants.

In a flash, Sofia clambered over a metal barrier, darted out onto stately Constitution Avenue and headed straight for the pontiff -- Secret Service agents be damned.

Guards nabbed her about half-way there, but the pope waved for them to bring her to him. For her trouble, she got a gentle hoist, a hug and a kiss from Pope Francis himself.

And as the crowd roared with surprise and excitement, Sofia slipped the pontiff her letter.

Born on US soil to Mexican parents, Sofia traveled across the country as part of a group of a dozen faithful, her father among them, from Nuestra Senora Reina de los Angeles parish in Los Angeles.

"She handed the pope a letter asking him to support the drive to legalize undocumented migrants living in the United States," the parish said when contacted by AFP.

The spokeswoman was unable to confirm whether her own parents were undocumented.

Britain's Guardian newspaper later spoke to the child, who said she had learned by heart the contents of a letter, in Spanish and English.

"I want to tell you that my heart is sad," it quoted her as saying. "All immigrants just like my dad help feed this country. They deserve to live with dignity. They deserve to live with respect. They deserve an immigration reform."

- 'Crowd going nuts' -

Joseph Reblando, another pope-greeter, happened to be standing right next to the girl and her dad and caught it all on film.

"She came back and her father was just in tears. And the whole crowd in my section were just going nuts," he told AFP afterwards.

Backers of immigration reform were also swift to seize upon the poignant episode in the hours that followed.

"A 5-yr-old girl shared her story with Pope Francis today&highlighted why we need #ImmigrationReform," tweeted the Democratic Senator Dick Durbin.

Thus went one small slice of Pope Francis' ride through crowds of faithful in downtown Washington on Wednesday, along the National Mall, past the Washington Monument, after talks with President Barack Obama during his first US visit.

The day held other unexpected moments, and gestures of papal affection: earlier, at Francis' behest, a baby was held up to him for a kiss on the forehead.

Thousands of people lined the streets for a brief glimpse of the 78-year-old Argentine pontiff, who stood, smiled and waved from his shiny white popemobile.

Those who could perched on sidewalk benches. Kids rode their parents' shoulders.

A large screen TV aired Obama and the pope speaking earlier at an outdoor ceremony at the White House. The waiting crowd roared when Obama noted the US is home to some 70 million Catholics, and cheered again when the pope said, in halting English, "God Bless America."  

Ask just about anybody in the crowd and they'd rave about the man, about his shift away from stressing church doctrine against same sex marriage, say, and focusing more on fighting global warming, helping the world's poor and its refugees and migrants.

- A 'very different' pope -

"I think this guy is very different. He's kind of a futuristic pope, so down to earth, so humble, so loving, and leading by example," said Cristina Temboury, 46, a civil servant.

"He is a fantastic leader, somebody we need," she added.

Puthupparampil Scaria, a 59-year-old Catholic born in India, put it this way: "He is so genuine. He is more like a pastor than a pope."

Temboury's only lament of the day was what she called a catastrophic cellphone blunder: at the moment of truth, after so many hours of waiting, she had the thing set on selfie.

"I took 15 pictures of myself as the pope was going by," she said, laughing.

One older Catholic, retired electrical engineer Don Sasnacht, 72, called Francis amazing and praised his communications skills in particular.

He admitted he finds hard to stomach the widespread impression that Francis is less rigid on hot button social issues such as gay marriage.

Still, he said he is willing to forgive the pope on that one.

"It comes with the package. I mean, when was the last time you saw a president that you agreed with 100%?," Sasnacht mused.
Source: AFP

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

little girl braves barriers to deliver message to pope little girl braves barriers to deliver message to pope

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

little girl braves barriers to deliver message to pope little girl braves barriers to deliver message to pope

 



GMT 06:32 2017 Thursday ,23 March

Morocco Fassi’s

GMT 10:31 2014 Tuesday ,23 December

Mirages of failure: Lebanon cannot wait

GMT 05:06 2024 Tuesday ,06 February

New hunt for flight MH370 gets under way

GMT 05:04 2024 Tuesday ,06 February

Skincare PR Performance Full Year 2017

GMT 17:05 2016 Wednesday ,21 September

Top steelmakers to merge as market struggles with glut

GMT 12:58 2017 Sunday ,13 August

'Locked and loaded' if N. Korea acts 'unwisely'

GMT 21:02 2017 Tuesday ,03 October

Yemen condemns terrorist blast in Bahrain

GMT 00:34 2017 Thursday ,23 March

Expect unstable weather in UAE from Thursday

GMT 13:36 2017 Wednesday ,13 September

Apple lays claim to smartphone future

GMT 23:31 2017 Wednesday ,26 July

Trump set to unveil $10 bn Foxconn deal

GMT 20:17 2013 Thursday ,02 May

Nancy Ajram records new songs while in Egypt

GMT 18:34 2011 Sunday ,17 July

UK media ignores Murdoch role in Iraq war

GMT 15:22 2012 Saturday ,13 October

White table in a curved design

GMT 19:20 2013 Sunday ,10 February

World\'s largest crocodile dies in Philippines
 
 Emirates Voice Facebook,emirates voice facebook  Emirates Voice Twitter,emirates voice twitter Emirates Voice Rss,emirates voice rss  Emirates Voice Youtube,emirates voice youtube  Emirates Voice Youtube,emirates voice youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

emiratesvoieen emiratesvoiceen emiratesvoiceen emiratesvoiceen
emiratesvoice emiratesvoice emiratesvoice
emiratesvoice
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
emiratesvoice, Emiratesvoice, Emiratesvoice