Religious and lay people from all over the world meet in St Peter's Square for the opening of the Holy Door. "Although I am not Catholic, I wouldn’t miss this extraordinary event,” said Filipino worker. For Chinese priest, “I am a poor person whose soul is searching for God.” India has many poor people who “need a lot of help,” say two Indian men religious.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) – Mercy "does not only mean preaching, studying or meditating. It means above all make actual actions in favour of the poor, the marginalised, the downtrodden in Asia and the world,” this according to some religious and lay people from Asia.

Speaking about the opening of the Holy Door in St Peter’s Basilica by Pope Francis as the start of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, they told to AsiaNews that they all “wanted to be here, in the square, to be part of this extraordinary event." All of them share the same feeling of joy at participating in an extraordinary event, despite fears and concerns about recent threats of terrorism. 

"We are happy to be here," said two Indian nuns from the Congregation of the Daughters of St Camillus who live in Rieti (north-east of Rome). "We are moved. We got up early this morning to take part in the celebrations."

For her part, a Filipino woman said, “I was curious. I wanted to be here in person to attend the opening of the Holy Door at St Peter. The last time the Holy Door was opened was in 2000, but I was not in Rome. For this reason I wouldn’t miss it."

In Italy for work since 2005, she is a Born Again Christian. “Although I am not Catholic, I am very religious and happy to have participated in the start of the Jubilee."

When he speaks about it, a Chinese priest studying at a seminary in Rome, cannot hide his emotions. "The concept of mercy involves doing something for the poor,” he said. “I am poor as well in the sense that I am a poor person whose soul is searching for God.”

“I am looking for God’s mercy in everyday life, for myself and others.” For China in particular, "mercy means to be of service to others, to love others as God loves us."

Two men religious from Kerala (India) agree. "This jubilee is an opportunity to care for others, especially the poor, the marginalised, the downtrodden."

Both are in Rome for their education. One is reading theology at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross; the other is taking philosophy at the Pontifical Urban University.

For both, education is crucial for a society’s development, "more so in India where many children have no access to education because they are poor, especially in the northern states, where poverty is extreme."

"We Catholics try to care for the poor, the needy, the children. India needs a lot of help. We are few, only 2 per cent of the population, but we do a lot. Mercy must inspire more and more actual actions for the downtrodden.

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