Pope tells Istanbul’s elderly they are the ‘wisdom of a people’
By Joseph Tulloch
The care home run by the Little Sisters of the Poor just outside central Istanbul is a home for the city’s elderly of every background: Turks, Armenians, refugees from a number of countries in Africa, and even a member of Istanbul’s historic Jewish population.
“The Other is Christ,” reads a phrase on the corridor wall, beside a board displaying each resident’s name card.
The Pope’s first stop in the house was the chapel, which had been adorned for the occasion with flags and flowers.
Around 200 people were waiting for him there, both the residents themselves, seated in the front, and the staff who keep the house running every day.
A warm welcome
As the Pope walked down the aisle, a women’s choir—composed of immigrants from Congo, Angola, Cameroon, and Burkina Faso—sang Ave Maria and Laudate Dominum.
The Pope greeted several people, paused for photos and to exchange a few words, and then knelt briefly in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.
Sister Margaret Searson, who arrived from London just a month ago, spoke on behalf of the community. She thanked the Pope for his visit, saying that it would show the house's residents "that God loves them immensely."
With and for others
The Pope, in turn, thanked the sisters for their welcome and for their work.
He offered a few reflections on their name, which he said offers a clue to the true meaning of Christian charity.
"The Lord has called you not only to assist or help the poor," the Pope said, but also "to be their sisters! ... Before being for others, we must first be with others in a communion based on fraternity.”
Elderly as a source of wisdom
The Pope’s second observation was addressed to the house’s elderly residents.
In a society obsessed with efficiency and material success, he warned, the true meaning of old age risks being forgotten. Yet, as Pope Francis often said, “the elderly are the wisdom of a people, a treasure for their grandchildren, families and society as a whole.”
The Pope brought his speech to a close by offering a “double thank-you” to the home for welcoming the elderly “in the name of fraternity.” Caring, he acknowledged, is not easy and “requires a lot of patience and prayer.”
The Pope then prayed with the community, gave his blessing, and left a commemorative gift.
Before departing, he spent a few minutes speaking with a group of sisters and greeting residents and staff along the corridor. Finally, he signed the guest book, writing: “I warmly bless this home with all its residents, and in a special way the Little Sisters of the Poor for their service here and their witness to all.”
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