Passing through Europe with the “Meu Coco” tour, Caetano Veloso met with Pope Francis this Thursday afternoon (28). The artist stated that he was concerned about the violence in Bahia, his home state, and made a “call for help” in the letter he delivered to the pontiff.
“Violence has also taken over Bahia, the state where I was born 81 years ago. I am frightened to see that – in just these first 24 days of September – at least 46 deaths have already been recorded in police clashes across the state. The proportion is almost two deaths per day this month. These deaths occurred mainly in peripheral neighborhoods of Salvador, such as Alto das Pombas, Calabar, Valéria and Águas Claras.”
In the document, the singer also mentions Dona Canô, his mother, who fought for the depollution of the Subaé River and campaigned for the restoration of the church of Nossa Senhora da Purificação, of which she has always been devoted.
CHECK BELOW THE FULL LETTER WRITTEN BY CAETANO VELOSO
“Vatican, September 28, 2023
Your Holiness, Pope Francis,
It is with special joy that I arrive here, at the Holy See, for this meeting. I’m from the city of Santo Amaro da Purificação. And since I was a boy, I enchanted my mother, Dona Canô, with her gestures of simplicity, affection and wisdom.
She fought in defense of the depollution of the Subaé River and campaigned for the restoration of the church of Nossa Senhora da Purificação, of which she was always an ardent devotee.
In 2007, at her centenary celebration, family, friends and the city of Santo Amaro promoted a series of tributes to Dona Canô throughout the year. And what provoked the greatest emotion was the Church of Purification receiving the pilgrim image of Our Lady of Aparecida.
It is with these teachings of peace that I arrive here, before Your Holiness.
In these 10 years of pontificate of the first Pope in Latin America, a Jesuit named Francis, I have followed his positions denouncing injustices, raising awareness about the situation of migrants and being the author of the first environmental encyclical: Laudato si – On the care of our common home. The text is a necessary warning about human responsibilities in climate change.
Santo Padre, where I live, in the city of Rio de Janeiro, violence reached rates equal to those of major wars around the world. And the worst: victimizing more and more children. The list of boys and girls killed by firearms in the Metropolitan Region of Rio is haunting. This year alone, 10 children died this way.
Recently, the 5-year-old girl Eloah da Silva dos Santos, who was shot when she was at home, in Morro do Dendê, a community on Ilha do Governador, North Zone of Rio, entered this statistic.
The victims have in common the fact that they died suddenly while going about their daily lives. Aged between 9 and 13 years old. The so-called “war on drugs” has not reduced drug trade or use to date. But the number of young people, mostly black, killed by gunshots continues to grow.
This tragic fate also killed: Juan Davi de Souza Faria, 11 years old; Rafaelly da Rocha Vieira, 10 years old; Maria Eduarda Carvalho Martins, 9 years old; Ester de Assis Oliveira, 9 years old; Jhenyfer Luz Silva de Souza, 12 years old; Lohan Samuel Nunes Dutra, 11 years old; Yan Gabriel Marques, 12 years old; Dijalma de Azevedo, 11 years old; Thiago Menezes Flausino, 13 years old.
Violence also took over Bahia, the state where I was born 81 years ago. I am frightened to see that – in just these first 24 days of September – at least 46 deaths have already been recorded in police clashes across the state. The proportion is almost two deaths per day this month. These deaths occurred mainly in peripheral neighborhoods of Salvador, such as Alto das Pombas, Calabar, Valéria and Águas Claras.
Given this situation of worsening violence in Brazil I ask that Your Holiness turns your gaze and your prayers to our country. I am sure that your message of peace will be heard in the country whose patron saint is Our Lady of Aparecida.
With deep admiration, my fraternal embrace and my request for help.
Caetano Veloso”
Source: Folha
I am Frederick Tuttle, who works in 247 News Agency as an author and mostly cover entertainment news. I have worked in this industry for 10 years and have gained a lot of experience. I am a very hard worker and always strive to get the best out of my work. I am also very passionate about my work and always try to keep up with the latest news and trends.
