Estate Ragazzi 2024 concludes with a video message from Pope Francis

A celebration to say “Arrivederci” until next year

A show with songs, dance and music and an explosion of joy and enthusiasm. Like many knights errant, children who participated in Estate Ragazzi at the Vatican reached the end of their journey. They decided to organize a party to say farewell. On Tuesday afternoon, 25 July, they met in the Paul VI Hall and invited Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, Sister Raffaella Petrini, President and General Secretary of the Governorate of Vatican City State, respectively, parents, relatives and friends. The Cardinal greeted the children and joked with them.

Father Franco Fontana, Director of the Salesian community in the Vatican and Chaplain of the Directorate of Security and Civil Protection Services and of the Vatican Museums, announced that Pope Francis had sent a video to participants in the summer camp including, supervisors, educators, Salesians, camp entertainers, and childre. The message was shown on the maxi screen in the Paul VI Hall. The Pontiff thanked everyone who had contributed in making Estate Ragazzi possible.    

Pleased with the message, the children joyfully participated in a show of colours and music. They worked hard to prepare for the show. Each group of children organized their own show. Children in the 5-7 year old group wore green shirt  and made their voices heard, conveying their energy. Those in the 8-10 year old group wore yellow shirts prepared songs on feelings and those in the 11-13 year old group wore blue shirts and sang, danced and dedicated the song by Elisa, “A modo mio” (My way) to the younger children: “It will be difficult to grow up/ You will be grown up before me/You will ask those questions/ I will pretend to know more/It will be difficult/But it will be as it should be/ I will set aside toys/I will try to grow up”.

At the end of the shows, Father Fontana greeted all participants,  and made an appointment with them for next year’s edition.