Forced like Jesus to flee

Photo by Migrants and Refugees Section, a pastoral office of the Holy See


Each year, the last Sunday of September is World Day of Migrants and Refugees.

The theme chosen by the holy father for the 106th World Day of Migrants and Refugees is "Forced like Jesus Christ to flee."

“This places the experience of Jesus as a child, displaced and a refugee together with his parents, at the center of my message,” explained Pope Francis.

The Migrants and Refugees Section, a pastoral office of the Holy See, personally directed by Pope Francis, created a series of videos exploring sub-themes of the pope’s message. Each video features a real-life testimony of a displaced person.

“It’s not about numbers, it’s about people. If we meet them, we’ll get to know them. And if we know their stories, we’ll be able to understand them,” Pope Francis said.

The video, To know in order to understand, is the first in the series, and viewers are introduced to Ignacio from Nicaragua, who had to flee with his family to survive.

Read: MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS FOR THE 106th WORLD DAY OF MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES 2020

Download prayer card (PDF)