The Vatican wasn't the only country celebrating Pope Francis' 10th anniversary. The Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to the Holy See marked the event with a special art exhibition, entitled 5 Loaves, 2 Fish.
AMBASSADOR MATTHEW LEE
Republic of China (Taiwan) to the Holy See
We are thinking about [how] to celebrate this event. And then we noticed Fratelli Tutti is Holy Father, always keep it in mind. And he wanted to help those people in need and this is also the miracle story in the Bible—Five loaves, Two fish—the same spirit. So we want to combine these together to celebrate his anniversary.
Ambassador Lee says the exhibition is also meant to strengthen relations between the Holy See and Taiwan. He explains that the name highlights the two countries' shared values—human rights and humanitarianism.
The artist, Tseng Ying-tung, says the idea for this exhibition came from one he created in 2019.
TSENG YING-TUNG
I've been working on this for 10 years. It was really special that the Embassy reached out to me. This artwork was on display here in 2019. The theme was the light of the world. So the Embassy saw that exhibition and really liked it.
“Five loaves and two fish” is one of the most well-known miracle stories in the Bible and encourages Christians to care for others—a central idea in Pope Francis' messages. Tseng says the meaning of the miracle has influenced his artwork.
TSENG YING-TUNG
The meaning of the miracle is actually about sharing. When you share, you get more in return. When I sell some of my work, I always try to give part of the income to the poor and the Church in Taiwan. And amazingly, the money or whatever I offer, most of the time, comes back to me.
The Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) believes this exhibition spreads Pope Francis' message of peace and human rights and shares the country's cultural heritage. It will be open to the public until June 30.
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