Renato Parolin - A needlework project to be born again

All the meanings of a pomegranate

Dearest All, it’s truly impossible to count the number of beautiful things that have been written about pomegranate. And, after all, how could we say something bad about such a wonderful plant, giving us so sweet and tasty fruits? The more years go by, the more its elegance increases, while its charm remains unchanged through the seasons. In the Spring, the pomegranate is charged with energy and shows its first, soft leaves, with their new and fresh green shade; towards the Summer, its foliage starts showing a whole lot of flowers, slightly shaped like little bluebells, with bright-red petals; in the Fall, the branches look almost tired, under the weight of their many, multi-sized and colorful fruits, highlighting shades of yellow, green and red; while in the Winter, the bare tree becomes the shelter of lovely robins redbreast, enjoying the last rays of sun. Yes, the pomegranate is definitely a plant to cherish, to love sincerely: a very successful work of Mother Nature and a special gift of the Grandmaster. Throughout history, every people on Earth has made it a very important symbol, for it represents vital energy, fertility and wealth. The plentiful seeds of the pomegranate symbolize abundance and prosperity, while its grains, so close to each other in the inside, represent cohesion, unity and fraternity. This plants require very little water and can grow in any kind of soil, as if it was a sort of miracle and nature’s gift, even where the land is quite barren. I know, it’s sounds like all this has nothing to do with this beautiful and important fundraiser. But it has, indeed! Just like pomegranate fruits, we would like to turn our brotherhood into something unique and a practical support for the ones who are not as lucky as us; just like as the charm of the pomegranate, we would like to help the Civil Protection, the volunteers and all the people involved to make that land wonderful again, as it used to be; and, just like the miracle of this plant, growing virtually everywhere, without asking for almost nothing (and nevertheless donating sweet and juicy fruits), we would like to contribute making the people of that region believe that… FLOWERS BLOOM EVEN ON THE ROUGHEST CRAGS… and therefore, with much optimism, hope and patience, the light can pierce hearts again. I believe that it’s amazing for all of us to wake up every day and think that something wonderful can happen… the rising of the sun, a smile, a sincere help, a needlework project to be born again, a simple thank you…