A little help for the homeless, after Pope's appeal

The ambassador provides gift packages to homeless people staying near St Peter's, urging people to heed the “invitation in ‘Fratelli Tutti’, the encyclical that encourages greater human brotherhood and solidarity.”

Vatican City (AsiaNews) – Taiwan’s Ambassador to the Holy See Matthew Shieh-Ming Lee personally donated gift packages for more than 50 homeless people staying near St Peter's Basilica. They include woollen caps, neck warmers, surgical masks, gloves, hand sanitiser, and hand warmers.

Last Sunday, after the Angelus prayer, Pope Francis urged the faithful to pray for Edwin, a homeless Nigerian man who died from exposure, alone, overnight on 20 January, a few metres from St Peter's Square.

Moved by the story, the pope stressed that Edwin died “ignored by all, abandoned, even by us”. He suggested that Rome’s homeless should receive more care. This inspired the small loving gesture from the Taiwanese embassy.

“Taiwan is always at the forefront of helping and assisting the most vulnerable people,” Ambassador Lee said.

“We are always looking for new ways to help the needy, according to the invitation in ‘Fratelli Tutti’, the encyclical that encourages greater human brotherhood and solidarity.”

During periods of extreme lockdown, the embassy also helped several homeless people and some religious communities in quarantine.

• vatican
• taiwan
• rome
• homeless
• edwin
• nigerian man
• pope francis
• matthew shieh-ming lee
• angelus prayer