Pope Francis met with a Catholic movement dedicated to promoting the arts and supporting artists.
It is called 'Diakona of Beauty.'
The group organizes exhibitions, concerts, shows and even runs a residence, to develop the relationship between art and faith.
The group's founders Anne and Daniel were seated in the front row to listen to the Pope.
POPE FRANCIS
'If the artist is authentic, he is able to speak about God better than anyone else, to make His beauty and goodness perceivable, to reach the human heart and make the truth and goodness of the Risen One shine there.'
The Pope encouraged them to express the Christian faith through the language of beauty, but asked that they make their art understandable to the people so as to inspire them to give the best of themselves.
POPE FRANCIS
'In the current difficult state of the world, in which confusion and sadness seem to pervade all things your mission is more necessary than ever, because beauty is always a source of joy, which puts us in contact with divine goodness.'
The Pope thanked them for their work, since contact with beauty is a form of encounter with God.
For this reason, he called them authentic craftspeople and guardians of beauty.
BA-JMB
TR: JM
