Pope Francis, who celebrated his 77th birthday on Tuesday with three homeless people, was voted The Man of the Year by The Advocate, the oldest American gay magazine.
According to the editors of the magazine, despite the fact that the pontiff does not support gay marriage and couples, he became the first pope to completely change the "rhetoric regarding homosexuals."
Francis repeatedly appeared on the front page of well-known publications that quoted a pontiff offering a different view of sexual minorities. Not so long ago, the elected head of the Catholic Church stated in one of his interviews that he “cannot condemn a man who is gay if he has goodwill and seeks God.”
The magazine also notes that these words of Pope Francis are “the most encouraging words ever heard from the lips of a pontiff.”
It is worth noting that the honorary title "Person of the Year" 77-year-old dad was also awarded a week ago by the American magazine Time. According to the publication, Pope Francesco earned such a title for his merits and deeds during his short stay as head of the Catholic Church. In the ranking of prominent people of the outgoing year, there was also a whistle-blower of US secret services Edward Snowden and Syrian President Bashar Assad, who was accused of using chemical weapons against civilians.
The American magazine explained its choice very simply: the honorary title was given to the pontiff for his "modesty and direct participation in all problems and discussions on a global scale."
Indeed, the person of the new pope is of increased interest. Francis often showed signs of his natural modesty. The pontiff celebrated his 77th birthday more than modestly: he invited three tramps who live near St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican to a gala dinner. According to the press, one of the homeless came to a gala dinner with his dog. However, it is not known why the choice of the pope fell on these poor people.
In the nine months of the papacy, Francis has repeatedly called on everyone to help the poor, to oppose "wild capitalism" and get rid of the "cult of money." The new head of Catholics also stated earlier that clergymen need to be more modest, especially when it comes to worldly concerns and material wealth.
So, Pope Francis set a good example for all priests, having come to meet with the Prime Minister of Italy in his own car, Ford Focus, abandoning the status of a luxurious Mercedes S class.
“It hurts me to see nuns and priests moving around in the latest car models,” Dad explained last summer. “Machines are designed to carry out various tasks and tasks, so I urge you to pay attention to modest car models.”
“If you caught the idea that you like a luxurious and expensive car, just remember how many children die of hunger every day.”
