This Thursday, the President of the Republic proposed to name a bicycle and pedestrian bridge over the Trancao River in honor of Pope Francisco, as well as a future park that is planned to be built in the area between Lisbon and Loures.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa spoke to reporters about the new Loures coastal route, opened this Thursday, which stretches six kilometers along the Tagus River, linking the municipality with the municipalities of Lisbon and Vila Franca de Xira.
The head of state was asked to leave a proposal for the name of the bicycle-pedonal bridge over the Trancao River, which the Lisbon municipal executive, under the chairmanship of Carlos Moedas, wanted to call the Cardeal Dom Manuel Clemente Pedestrian Bridge, which the former president, the Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon himself, ultimately refused.
In response, the President of the Republic began by saying that, in his opinion, “the name of Pope Francis” is great for a future park that will appear in the area.
“For the park, or if so at all. Well, I mean that the bridge is related to the park, it is integrated into the park. This could be a good way out,” he said.
According to Marcelo Rebelo de Souza, the name of the park and bridge in honor of the World Youth Day held there in early August “turns out to be a tribute to what was most important” at this Catholic meeting.
In his opinion, “no one forgets the fundamental role played by the Church [Católica] and there was the Diocese of Lisbon,” but “what mattered was that the Pope was here for World Youth Day.”
“It is this Pope Francis who made the difference and makes the difference. I think so, but in the end history will tell,” he added.
The President of the Republic said that “a few days” after he visited Portugal for World Youth Day, Pope Francis sent him a letter, “very tender and very personal, thanking him for everything that happened.”
“He asked me to pray for him, but he said he was praying for me,” said Marcelo Rebelo de Souza, a practicing Catholic, noting that it gave him “an extra security because it’s very necessary.”
On the side of the head of state were the Mayor of Lures, Ricardo Lean, and the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Duarte Cordeiro.
The mayor of Lisbon, Carlos Moedas, was also present at the opening of the new coastal route in Loures.
The President of the Republic praised this work, considering that it represents “a fundamental turning point in the quality of life in the relationship between the various municipalities.”