State Secretary Tristan Azbej invited 20 SCYP Scholarship Holders to Rome in October 2018 to give testimony at the opening ceremony of the Cross-in-Fire Exhibition organised by State Secretariat for the Aid of Persecuted Christians and for the Hungary Helps Program. The Scholarship Holders also had the privilege to meet His Holiness Pope Francis in person at the Vatican during the Gen¬eral Audience.
Areen Nassar (Syria)
What is a great honor of being one of the Young Christians studying in Hun¬gary who visited Rome in October 2018. This visit has changed my entire life due to talking about Christianity in Syria and listening to other participants. Moreover, it was a really special meeting with Pope Francis who loves people for who they are, just as God loves them.
It was a special moment when he gave us crosses as souvenirs which keep reminding me about that blessed vis¬it. Furthermore, the Pope was deeply touched by what the Hungarian Gov¬ernment was doing for helping the per¬secuted Christians. It was an unbeliev¬able moment when we stood together in front of the general audience on Wednesday at St. Peter’s Square taking a photo with Pope Francis.
Maikey Zaki (Iraq)
I was very touched and loved what the Pope said at the meeting and at the public mass that day: “killing is not the right thing and human life is precious to honor and respect it”. I was selected to present the Pope a symbolic medal in¬cluding the scholarship holders’ names who were present at that meeting.
Meroze Daud (Pakistan)
The most memorable moment of my life was when I meet Pope Francis. We at¬tended morning service and listened to the sermon given by His Holiness Pope Francis. I never thought of meeting him. Not only I meet him but I also talked to him for 3 minutes. He asked me about Christian people in Pakistan and also we captured few pictures with him. That was simply amazing trip.
