Urban artist Mauro Pallotta, known for creating graffiti images of Pope Francis on the streets of Rome, has been chosen by the Vatican to design this year's official Lent image.
The artist, nicknamed "Maupal," became world-famous in 2014 with his first street work titled "Super Pope." He is now recognized as one of the leading figures in urban art and considered one of the thirty most influential street artists worldwide.
During the presentation of Pope Francis' message for Lent 2024, held at the Holy See Press Office, the Roman artist expressed his "pride and honor" in being able to represent "the words that Pope Francis has addressed to the world for the Lenten journey we are about to undertake."
The creator of "Super Pope," who has also collaborated on projects in Rome's prisons over the past two years, noted that working with prisoners "brings unexpected richness" and that through this experience, he has met people who have achieved "inner freedom, the freedom that God gives."
"With the illustrations for this Lent, I would like to be able to support the Holy Father in a simple but effective way, as he guides us in deep reflection with his words, and leads us on a path intended to make us leave our enslavements, until reaching the promised land," he concluded.
Pope Francis' Message
In his message for Lent 2024, Pope Francis emphasizes an essential aspect of being human: freedom.
In his message, titled "Through the Desert, God Leads Us to Freedom," the Holy Father highlighted that to achieve freedom, one must first acknowledge "reality" and become aware of inner enslavements.
He reminded us that "God has not grown weary for us" and invited everyone to embrace this time of preparation for Easter as "a strong time when His Word addresses us anew: 'I am the Lord, your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.'"
For Pope Francis, Lent is also "a season of conversion, a time of freedom," while he emphasized that "God does not want subjects, but sons and daughters."
"The desert," he stated, "is the place where our freedom can mature in a personal decision not to fall back into slavery."
Pope Francis also invited the faithful to live Lent with joy and urged them to do so with courage that leads to conversion and freedom from slavery. "For faith and charity take hope, this small child, by the hand" he concluded.
This article was originally published on ACI Prensa.
Almudena Martínez-Bordiú is a Spanish journalist and correspondent for ACI Prensa in Rome and the Vatican, with three years of experience in religious information. She has a double degree in Journalism and Advertising from San Pablo CEU University in Madrid. She has a passion for investigative journalism and for telling stories in a close way.
