Pope Francis has lunch with indigenous representatives in Mexico
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis had lunch with representatives from Mexico’s indigenous communities after his Mass in the southern region of Chiapas.
The indigenous population is 15% of the total for the nation, and much higher in the southern region.
Vatican Spokesman Father Frederico Lombardi, SJ, explained that the meeting followed the same format which the Pope has used on other trips, such as World Youth Day, meeting groups of refugees, or visiting the poor.
Eight representatives from different Indigenous communities sat down for lunch with the Holy Father. They included an indigenous priest, who was dressed as a normal indigenous man, rather than in any particular clerical dress.
Other representatives included a permanent deacon and his wife, a religious sister, a representative for indigenous youth and a catechist. The group represented a cross section of the indigenous community of Mexico.
Father Lombardi went on to say: “The Pope had a simple, normal conversation with them.”