On the afternoon of September 15, the Holy Father returned from Bratislava to Rome, concluding his four-day 34th international apostolic journey to Budapest and Slovakia. True to his habit, he also gave the opportunity for journalists to ask him questions on the plane. The first question was asked by the editor-in-chief of Magyar Kurír.

Dear Holy Father! Thank you for coming to Budapest. During his visit, he quoted Cardinal József Mindszenty, who said: "If there are a million praying Hungarians, I am not afraid of tomorrow!" I would like to ask: Why did you decide to participate in the International Eucharistic Congress after twenty-one years as Pope? Based on this event, how do you see the future of European Christianity, and what do you think we Hungarians can do for it? asked István Kuzmányi from Magyar Kurír.

Pope Francis' answer:

I understand, thank you, thank you very much! At first, people didn't really understand: "He only comes to the ceremony and doesn't even visit us Hungarians?"; and some assumed wrong. No! I explained that the visit to Slovakia was already planned - but only in my head - and that I started this visit afterwards [after the Eucharistic Congress]. But

I promised the president whom I met - this is the third time I have met him - that I would think about whether I could come next year or the year after, because Hungarians have a lot of value...

I was impressed by how deep your sense of ecumenism is. This touched me deeply.

In general, Europe - I always say, repeat - must follow the dreams of the founding fathers. The European Union is not a meeting to arrange certain things... it is a deeply spiritual and spiritual reality, the basis of the European Union is a spirit dreamed up by Schuman, Adenauer, De Gasperi, these greats. Gotta go back there! Because there is a danger that the European Union will be just a management office, but that is not right. You have to go all the way to the mystique [of the spirit of the union], you have to find the roots of Europe and carry them forward. And I think every country has to move forward. It is true that certain interests, perhaps not European interests, are trying to use the European Union for ideological colonization, and this is unacceptable. No! The European Union should be independent in itself and all countries should stand on the same level, inspired by the dream of the great founders. I see it this way. And you Hungarians: I was with you last [two years] in Transylvania. That Hungarian mass was wonderful!

Further questions and answers HERE .