Pope Francis Apologizes for Persecution of Pentecostals

Teresa Neumann : Jul 29, 2014
Josephine McKenna – Religion News Service

"Catholics were among those who persecuted and denounced the Pentecostals, almost as if they were crazy. I ask you to forgive my Catholic brothers and sisters..." -Pope Francis

(Caserta, Italy)—On Monday, July 28, Pope Francis met with hundreds of evangelical pastors and leaders from the US, Argentina and Italy. During their meeting, the pope apologized on behalf of the Catholic Church for decades of persecution, particularly against Italian Pentecostals during the last century. (CNS photo/ L’Osservatore Romano via Reuters/RNS)

"Catholics were among those who persecuted and denounced the Pentecostals," he said, "almost as if they were crazy."

"I am the shepherd of the Catholics," he continued, "and I ask you to forgive my Catholic brothers and sisters who did not understand and were tempted by the devil."

At the meeting was Giovanni Traettino, an evangelical pastor who had been befriended by Francis when the pontiff served as archbishop of Buenos Aires. He was quoted as saying the evangelical community was "deeply grateful" for the visit which would have been unthinkable until recently.

According to a Religion News Service (RNS) report, one participant described the moment as very emotional and that "everyone was in tears."