"The canonisation of Fra Galvão and the opening of the Fifth Conference of the Episcopacy of Latin America and the Caribbean (Celam) will be milestones in the history of the Church": these are the words of Benedict XVI, as he greeted and blessed the crowd from the balcony of the monastery of São Bento, in São Paulo, where he arrived in the evening. During his journey to Brazil that began today (until May 14th), the Pope will officiate Mass, at the Campo de Marte in São Paulo on May 11th, for the canonisation of the blessed Frei Galvão (1739-1822), a Franciscan friar who founded the Monastery of the Conceptionist order "Recolhimento da Luz" in São Paulo, beatified by John Paul II in 1998. As he arrived at the monastery of São Bento in the evening, Benedict XVI expressed his gratitude to the crowd for their "warm welcome" and said: "These days will be full of emotions and joy for all of you and for the Church. It is a celebrating Church! All over the world they are praying for the fruits of this Journey, the first pastoral Journey to Brazil and Latin America that Providence is granting me to accomplish as the Successor of Peter!".
