Pope thanks police for exercising patience, as God does

Stressing the complex and "sometimes difficult" mission of these Italian officials, the Bishop of the Eternal City paid tribute to their professionalism and their "discreet yet effective presence" around the sacred places of the world's smallest state.

The head of the Catholic Church praised the officers' availability and their "patience" even "in the most complex situations." He urged them to have the "fundamental motivation" of "taking care of people, and preserving the dignity and safety of each one."

The Pope acknowledged the visitors who sometimes have requests, "problems, or demands that are not fair, that are a bit burdensome at times." "But thank you for your patience," the Pope told the police, "and for treating people as they are, in life. This is how God treats us, isn’t it? Like this."

He also reflected on how the service of these police officers often enables an encounter with Christ.

Finally, the Pontiff remembered "those who have given their lives in service, including during this pandemic."

"They passed away in work, they passed away in silence. But may they not remain in silence in our heart. May they always be remembered with gratitude," he prayed.

At the end of the meeting, the Pope asked them not to be offended if he could not greet them standing up, because of his ailing knee. This is a pain that he has mentioned several times in recent weeks, both at the General Audience and in private audiences.

He offered each of his guests a copy of the beautiful book published by the Vatican Publishing House (LEV) on the Statio Orbis of March 27, 2020.