Pope blesses climate pilgrims

The historic People's Pilgrimage, an epic walk from Rome to Paris headed by its leader, former Philippine Climate Envoy Yeb Sano left St Peter's Square, Vatican City at 13:30 today. Earlier this morning Yeb had a short but moving meeting with the Pope as he moved down a line of selected guests at the traditional Wednesday morning audience.

​"He came up to me," Yeb said, ​"and took my hand. I showed him the handwritten version of the Encyclical which I and other marchers will be writing as we march through Italy, Switzerland, Germany and France. We intend to have finished copying out the entire text by the time we arrive in Paris in the first week of the UN climate change negotiations".

"The Pope looked with real interest at what I had written so far, held my hand a good while then looked at me in the eyes and smiled before moving on. It was a hugely emotional and inspiring moment which really energized me for the 1500km ahead."

Under the lenses of camera teams from several global TV stations the marchers first lined up behind a string of banners. The marchers which included activists from members of the Italian climate change coalition including Greenpeace, Legambiente, World Wildlife Fund, Mareviva, Friends of the Earth then walked two by two down the via della Conciliazione, the broad avenue which links St Peter's Square to Rome.

Also marching were Yeb's younger brother Ageey and several other Filipinos, with another twenty to join him when he passes through Milan. Meanwhile, eight environmental activists from the Pacific island nations, they​ including Vanuatu, Kiribatu, Nauru, Marshall Islands, Fiji will meet him in Assisi on October 4​, St Francis day.

Speaking to reporters gathered in the Square Yeb stated that ​"the pilgrimage is signal to the world's government meeting in Paris that we, the people, want action on climate change. We are following the inspiring leadership of His Holiness the Pope given in his recent Encyclical Laudato Sii which calls for a rethinking of our economic system to protect creation and eliminate poverty. As we pass through towns and villages in four European nations, we will be meeting with local religious communities, environmental activists, ordinary citizens."

"Some will march a small distance with us, others quite a long way and a core of about 35 the entire 1500km. I am confident that negotiators will hear our message and meanwhile thank all those who are supporting our pilgrimage. I also invite others to participate in our crowdfunding initiative about to be launched to support our pilgrimage across Europe."

Solidarity pilgrimages are taking place across the globe and can be seen online here: www.peoplespilgrimage.org

The People's Pilgrimage ​is a project of the global interfaith campaign Our Voices ​www.ourvoices.net​.