Pope Francis receives a delegation from the Rom Evangelical Baptist Mission

On 12 December, Pope Francis received in a private audience a delegation from the Rom Evangelical Baptist Mission in Italy. In his address, the Holy Father stated: "In welcoming you as representatives of the Rom Evangelical Baptist Mission in Italy, I would like to send a fraternal greeting to all the members of the Rom community and to those whom you serve daily. I hope that, by receiving this greeting, you will renew the shared certainty that nothing and no one shall separate us from the love of God."

Pastor Cesare Levak, in his greeting, reflected on the history of the Roma people, explained the charitable work carried out by the Evangelical Baptist Mission, and noted that the last visit by a pontiff to their community occurred in 1967. He then extended an invitation to Pope Francis to visit them and collaborate on initiatives focused on children's education and job training.

The Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity maintains an ongoing dialogue with the Baptist World Alliance. A Baptist representative was also present among the fraternal delegates at the recent Synod on Synodality.

_{Photos © Vatican Media}