Guinean Catholic youth are set to “drink” to Pope Francis with “pano de pinti,” a hand-woven fabric characteristic of the country, Father Dingana Siga, one of the coordinators of the Lisbon Youth Day delegation, told Lusa.
“As a community, we will try to speak out and are already thinking about a gift for the Supreme Pontiff, the distinctive badge of the Guineans, which is “pano de pinti”, thus symbolizing the Pope,” announced the parish priest at Bouba Church, in southern Guinea-Bissau.
“Pano de pinti” is a fabric made by hand on a loom, which is considered among the Guineans a sign of respect and friendship. It is given to someone you highly respect or respect.
Responsible for the visa process for 135 young people elected in the dioceses of Bissau and Bafat, who coordinate the activities of the church in the eastern and southern regions of Guinea-Bissau, Dingana Shiga stressed that the toast to the Pope “may draw attention” to the Guinean delegation.
On the other hand, he said that young people from Guinea-Bissau would be open to fellowship with Catholics from all over the world and that they would continue to be accompanied to the Eucharist with a drum, which is also typical of the local church.
The general coordinator of the Guinean delegation, friar Galliano Oliveira, underlined the support that the Guinean church received from various national and Portuguese organizations, namely the organization of the World Youth Day.
On Monday, Bissau’s Bishop Dom Lampra Ka stressed the “significant financial support” of Guinean President Oumaro Sissoko Embalo, who received him in audience, to move young people to WYD. The Bishop declined to state the amount in question.
Anticipating Guinean participation in the meeting with Pope Francis, friar Galliano Oliveira praised the open-mindedness, which he said was encouraged by young people in the country “at the meeting with the Catholic brethren.”
“But we are marked by our cultural heritage, our heritage of faith, with this Catholicism with a Guinean face,” said Brother Galliano, who said in recent days that he shares tasks in the diocese of Bissau with trips to and from the center. issuance of visas to Portugal.
However, the person responsible for the young Guineans going to the WYD in Lisbon noted that cultural manifestations in the activities of the local church take place “without prejudice to faith and faith in Jesus.”
In total, the Guinean delegation, including nuns, monks, priests, young people from both dioceses and some Catholics, should consist of about 215 people, including Evaristo Sanca Napoca, who feels “privileged” for the opportunity to see the Pope “up close”.
Evaristo is part of the coordination team preparing the trip, and it is in this capacity that he calls on other young people to do everything to make the name of Guinea-Bissau famous.
“I advise my friends, young Catholics, to make a good performance so that we can carry the good name of our country and our two dioceses, that is, demonstrate our culture, what Guinea-Bissau is,” Sanca Napoca emphasized.
The delegation of the Guinean Church leaves for Lisbon on 21 August and returns on 12 August.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
I’m Sandra Hansen, a news website Author and Reporter for 24 News Reporters. I have over 7 years of experience in the journalism field, with an extensive background in politics and political science. My passion is to tell stories that are important to people around the globe and to engage readers with compelling content.