Chinese New Year in Kuala Lumpur

Happy Chinese New Year 2020

When I was a child, I loved to celebrate Chinese New Year because it meant holidays, new clothes, ang pows (lucky money), and lots of good food to eat. But since I left school and started my first job as a temporary teacher, Chinese New Year meant a different thing to me. Since I was a part-time law student at that time, I looked forward to Chinese New Year because I needed the holidays to study. After I left the Teachers' Training College and became a permanent teacher, I continued with my law studies (LL.B.), followed by the B. Ed., MA and Ph.D. programs and many years have gone by before I could really celebrate Chinese New Year wholeheartedly without having to worry about my studies. After getting my Ph.D. in October 2017, I finally regained my freedom and now there is nothing to interfere with my Chinese New Year celebration because I don't have to watch New Year movies with a book in my hands anymore. 

Every Chinese New Year reminds me of my grandmother and her Chinese New Year Story entitled The Legend of  "Monster Nian" which she kept repeating year after year. I am not sure whether this creature really existed but when I was a little girl it seemed so real to me. This is how the story goes:

According to my grandmother, there lived a monster known as "Nian" (which means year) in China a long time ago. This ferocious creature used to come to the village at the end of the lunar year and caused a lot of damage to the property of the villagers. It also ate their livestock and even children should it come across anyone of them. All the villagers retreated to the mountains every New Year Eve because they did not want to be harmed by this creature. One year, as the villagers were preparing to flee to the mountains, a strange old man came to the village. When an old lady told him about Monster Nian, he was not scared at all but insisted to stay in the village to help the villagers get rid of this creature. Although the old lady did not believe him, she let him stay in her house which he decorated with red papers, burning candles and firecrackers. When Monster Nian arrived at the village, it went straight to the brightly lighted house and was terrified by the red papers, candles and the sound of firecrackers. Instead of creating havoc in the village, it was so frightened that it fled from the village never to return again. When the villagers returned the next morning, they were surprised to find that their property and livestock were safe. The old woman hastened to her house and was surprised to find red papers on her windows and doors, candles in her house and firecrackers in the courtyard but the strange old man was nowhere in sight. From that year onward, the villagers did not flee to the mountains again on New Year Eve but welcomed the Lunar New Year by decorating their homes in red, lighting candles, and burning firecrackers. They also dressed in red and visited each other to celebrate their triumph over Monster Nian.  That is why the Chinese New Year is also known as "Guo Nian" which can be translated as "surviving Monster Nian's attack"

The story may sound a bit childish or even unbelievable today, but, when I was a little girl, I couldn't help thinking how Monster Nian looked like and was worried that it might come out again some day. Irrespective of whether Monster Nian really existed in ancient China, one thing is for sure and that is the Lunar New Year is a time of new beginnings. The new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written. We can help write that story by setting goals (Melody Beattie). What the new year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to the new year (Vern McLellan). All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them (Walt Disney). The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams (Eleanor Roosevelt).

Although I love to take Christmas photos in the shopping malls, I have never taken Chinese New Year photos before. This year, I am going to celebrate Chinese New Year with the kind of feelings that I used to have when I was a child. And of course the beautiful Chinese New Year decorations in the shopping malls in Kuala Lumpur really help to enhance my festive mood. In this article, I would like to share the photos taken in the shopping malls in Kuala Lumpur City Center during this festive season. These decorations are among some of the best in the world comparable to that in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore. These photos are accompanied by New Year quotes to motivate and inspire my readers - Happy New Year!

1.  Chinese New Year 2020 at Mid Valley Megamall

Let's celebrate Chinese New Year at Mid Valley Megamall to enjoy its spring festival atmosphere and experience  the sights and sounds of its LEGO-themed village market. Mid Valley Megamall is located at Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City and is easily accessible via KTM Komuter. 

Enormous cherry blossoms at the North Court

Traditional Chinese buildings at the North Court

And now we welcome the new year. Full of things that have never been - Rainer Maria Rilke

Although no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending - Carl Bard.

Peonies and cherry blossoms - good fortune flowers

Chinese New Year Decorations at the Center Court

Welcome to the LEGO-themed village market at Centre Court

This year, be structured enough for success and achievement and flexible enough for creativity and fun - Taylor Duvall

Never underestimate the power you have to take your life in a new direction -Germany Kent

2.  Chinese New Year 2020 at The Gardens Mall, Mid Valley City

The Gardens Mall is just next to Mid Valley Megamall. The Chinese New Year decorations at the ground floor centered around meticulously folded origami as shown in the photos below.

You are never too old to reinvent yourself - Steve Harvey 

The beginning is the most important part of the work - Plato

Meticulously folded crane origami - symbols of longevity and good fortune

An amazing portrait background.

Happiness is not something readymade. It comes from your own actions - Dalai Lama

A beautiful background for a family portrait!

3.  Chinese New Year 2020 at Berjaya Times Square

"A Spring of Prosperity" mall decorations at Berjaya Times Square. This year, one can see the Lunar Year in full bloom at the Ground Floor Central with its enormous cherry blossoms and red traditional Chinese lanterns. Berjaya Times Square is located at 1, Jalan Imbi, Kuala Lumpur and is easily accessible via monorail and MRT.

A Spring of Prosperity at Berjaya Times Square

Auspicious red traditional Chinese lanterns fill the air

Enormous cherry blossoms

You can get excited about the future. The past won't mind - Hillary DePiano

4.  Chinese New 2020 at Sungei Wang Plaza

Let's experience the beauty of plum blossoms and oriental decorations with the theme "Blessings of Prosperity" at Sungei Wang Plaza. Sungei Wang Plaza is located at Jalan Bukit Bintang, Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur. There is an interconnecting bridge that links Sungei Wang Plaza and Bukit Bintang Plaza to Lot 10 just across the road. Once can easily walk to Sungei Wang Plaza from Berjaya Times Square. 

Develop an attitude of gratitude this year, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation - Brian Tracy

Cherry blossoms and oriental decorations at Sungei Wang Plaza 

The blessings of prosperity

With the new year comes a refueled motivation to improve on the past one - Gretchen Bleiler

The best is yet to come - Frank Sinatra

5.  Chinese New Year 2020 at Pavilion

At Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, you will be able to see the biggest rotating "Mickey and Minnie" sculpture this year. Pavilion Shopping Mall is located at 168, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur. One can easily walk to Pavilion from Sungei Wang Plaza. With the KLCC - Bukit Bintang Walkway (near Pavilion), one can also walk comfortably from Pavilion to Suria KLCC and vice versa.

Disney's Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse at the entrance of Pavilion Kuala Lumpur

Chinese New Year decorations at the entrance of Pavilion Kuala Lumpur

Greeting you at the Center Court are Mickey and Minnie dressed in traditional Chinese attire sitting atop a majestic golden rotating base.

Cherry blossoms at the center court of Pavilion Kuala Lumpur

At the Center Court, you will be able to find amazing awesome backgrounds for your portrait photos.

The biggest rotating "Mickey and Minnie" sculpture at the Center Court of Pavilion Kuala Lumpur measuring 20 feet high.

6.  Chinese New Year 2020 at Suria KLCC

At Suria KLCC, you can experience a taste of century old Chinese traditions with a modern twist at the center court in this year of the rat. Suria KLCC is located at 241, Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur City Center, 50088 Kuala Lumpur and is easily accessible via LRT.

The grand decorations at the Center Court depicting the ancient majestic octagonal-based Chinese pagoda.

A rat greeting visitors at the entrance of the ground floor

The glorious beauty of Malaysia's tallest Pagoda Replica at the KLCC Esplanade

New beginnings are in order, and you are bound to feel some level of excitement as new chances come your way - Auliq Ice

7.  Chinese New Year 2020 at NU Sentral Shopping Center

At NU Sentral Shopping Center, the theme "Yi Fan Feng Shun" which can be translated as everything going on smoothly without obstacles is chosen this year in the hope that the NU Sentral shoppers will have a year without obstacles in 2020. Decorated with traditional iconic Chinese watercraft, auspicious red lanterns, Chinese traditional drums, cherry blossoms and lotus flowers as symbols of good fortune, it is also hoped that the shoppers will sail smoothly towards their destiny with lots of blessings coming their way. NU Sentral is located at No. 201, Jalan Tun Sambanthan, 50470 Kuala Lumpur. From there, one can easily travel to anywhere via LRT, MRT, ERL, Monorail and KTM Komuter.

Chinese watercraft - a symbol of smooth sailing

Plum blossoms and lotus flowers - symbols of good fortune and prosperity

Auspicious Chinese lanterns

It doesn't matter where you came from. All that matters is where you are going - Brian Tracy

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow - Albert Einstein

BEAUTIFUL HAND-PAINTED PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE HOLY LAND

As the birthplace of the three Abrahamic faiths - Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, the Holy Land has a special place in the hearts of millions. The breathtaking views of this region of unrivaled beauty with its historical and religious significance have made it one of the top tourist attractions in the world. Enigmatic, extremely ancient and yet ultra-modern, the Holy Land is that special place on earth where one can powerfully feel the presence of God.

In this article, I would like to share some of the beautiful hand-painted photographs in one of my favorite books entitled In the Footsteps of Abraham: The Holy Land in Hand-Painted Photographs by Richard Hardiman and Helen Speelman. Although this book consists mainly of photographs, I never get tired of it because I just love to look at the astounding color portrait of the Holy Land, captured before these biblical landscapes were brought forward into the modern era. This book is very special to me because it provides a unique opportunity for me to experience the people, landscapes, and architecture of the Holy Land as they were at the turn of the last century before the region underwent the radical changes of modernization. The vivid and rare photographs in this book which were taken before the advent of commercial color photography, clearly depict the Holy Land of more than 2000 years ago when Jesus walked upon this earth. These wonderful photographs were taken by the Matson Photo Agency, part of Jerusalem's American Colony, a community of Christian expatriates.

In the 1920s, Arie Speelman (Helen Speelman's grandfather), a devout Dutch Christian, commissioned the hand-coloring of of 1200 photos on glass plates, a massive undertaking that sometimes involved painting with a single human hair. He traveled to Holland with the hand-colored glass plates giving popular lantern slide lectures. Coloring individual lantern slides or photographs was a time-consuming activity requiring much concentration, cost, and skill. His entire collection was bequeathed to the Jewish historical Museum in Amsterdam. It is one of the few fully hand-colored sets in existence, and certainly one of the largest. The attention to detail employed in painting these lantern slides is such that, in many instances, the image can hardly be differentiated from modern color photography. The 172 full-page images in this book were selected from that special legacy. Bearing in mind that only black and white photography was commercially available at the time these photos were taken, this was indeed an incredibly unusual undertaking on such large group of photos. What is really amazing is that these photos that were originally black and white have made history come to life with colors. And I am happy to say that looking at these photos makes me feel closer to Jesus. That was why the moment I looked at this oversized album, I knew that I must make it mine.

Since this book is too big for my scanner, I had to photograph the images in this oversized album using my smart phone so the photos that I uploaded here may not be as beautiful and colorful as the original images in this book (probably because I couldn't get the lighting right on these photographs). I couldn't photograph the whole image and the color is also slightly different. Nevertheless, they clearly illustrate the natural wonders of the Holy Land before the modernization processes took place.

The Old City of Jerusalem from Government House. In the distance you can make out the high mountains of Moab. Can you imagine how this photo would look like in black and white? From a boring black and white photo, it has turned into a beautiful landscape with colors.

The Western, or Wailing, Wall. When these photos were taken, the sites, customs, and costumes were very similar to those of Biblical times. Looking at the people in this photo reminds me of Jesus and the people he associated with every day. 

Possible Site of Christ's Baptism. It looks very much alive in colors bringing back the scenes of Jesus' baptism more vividly than the most powerful descriptions. At risk of going dry, the Jordan River has sunk so low that it is not possible for Jesus to plunge into it today.

Children on Road to Entrance of  Anata, the birthplace of the prophet Jeremiah. Anata is now a large town in the urban area to the north of Jerusalem with many grocery shops and restaurants.

Change is inevitable and the Holy Land's infrastructure has undergone rapid development especially in the past decade. Thanks to Arie Speelman's hard work, we can still walk in the footsteps of Jesus and see the Holy Land just as He saw it more than 2000 years ago in this era of modernity within this region.

Reference:
Hardiman, Richard & Speelman, Helen. (2008). In the footsteps of Abraham: The Holy Land in hand-painted photographs. New York: Overlook Duckworth.

THE MYSTIQUE OF LOVE AND MARRIAGE

Traditional Chinese wedding dolls 

Then Paul stood in the meeting of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are too superstitious. As I walked around looking carefully at your shrines, I found an altar with this inscription, 'To a God Unknown'. So you are worshiping in ignorance and this is what I am going to make known to you" (Acts 17:22-23).

Since love, courtship and marriage are important events in human life, so important that our women would sacrifice everything to find a lover, the desire to know the future, especially among young girls, has been an urgent need since time immemorial (If you are interested in palmistry, please click here to find out how the lines of marriage can affect your love life). Due to the passionate nature of love itself, it is nothing surprising why many young girls, especially teenage girls, want to know how and where to find a boyfriend and who their future husband would be. This is perhaps the reason why the superstitions about love and marriage continue from one generation to another even though they may sound ridiculous, weird or even spooky. 

I will begin with the apple since it has always had an essential role to play in love probably because it is the forbidden fruit that caused the fall of Adam and Eve. When I was fourteen, my girlfriends believed that if they peel the skin of an apple in a long continuous strip in front of the mirror at midnight, they would be able to see the image of their future soul mate in the mirror. If it breaks, according to them, their future soul mate would die. One of my classmates tried out this method and reported that she did see the face of someone in the mirror. She encouraged me to try out this method but at that time I was worried that I would kill someone should the apple skin break and chose not to do so.

Many generations of young girls have peeled the skin of an apple in a continuous piece and tossed it over their left shoulder in the belief that it will fall in the shape of a letter showing the first letter of their true love's Christian name. If it breaks, it is an omen that they would end up as old maids. A girl who wants to know how much her boyfriend loves her would drop a pip from an apple she has eaten on to the fire whilst whispering his name softly. If it goes off with a cracking sound, then it is an indication that he is head over heels in love with her. 

One of the simplest and most popular of all love rituals is The Daisy Oracle (He loves me, He loves me not) which goes all the way back to medieval times. Just get a daisy and pluck off its petals saying "He loves me" with the first petal and "He loves me not" for the next petal. This is repeated until the last petal and what is said predicts whether there is love or no love. In America, it is believed that if a young girl holds a mirror over a well, the face of her future spouse will be reflected in it. In Britain, however, it is believed that a young girl who sleeps with a mirror under her pillow will dream of her future spouse. Similarly, she will dream of her future spouse if she sleeps with daisies or a piece of wedding cake under her pillow. 

It is also believed that if a young girl goes to a churchyard at midnight and walks around it twelve times, the ghostly shape of her future husband will appear. According to Hungarian folklore, if a single woman picks twelve sage leaves in the garden at midnight and holds them to her heart, the shadowy form of her future husband will appear on the other side of the garden. If she picks twelve sage leaves at midday on 25 April (The Feast of St. Mark) or at midnight on Midsummer's Eve, the first unmarried man who comes along will be her husband. 

One of the most appealing superstitious beliefs suggests that once a girl has set her heart on a man, she should pick two long-stemmed roses, naming one for herself and one for her dream man, twine the stems together, and repeat these words before going to bed:

Twine, twine and intertwine,

Let my love be wholly mine;

If his heart be kind and true,

Deeper grow the rose's hue.

And the rose is expected to turn darker in color should her wishes come true. In America, there is a simpler way to make your boyfriend love you - just wink at the biggest star that you can find before you go to sleep. An alternative way is to voodoo him to fall in love with you since a voodoo love spell is a powerful love spell that works almost instantly but, of course, this is very unethical. What will happen if the spell is broken? 

If a woman desperately wants to keep her man, it is not uncommon for her to use black magic on him. In this aspect, the Miao people, a minority ethnic group living in Southern China, are well-known for their black magic and witchcraft. Also known as "gu", it is a concentrated poison taken from five poisonous creatures; the scorpion, centipede, venomous snake, spider, and toad. Travelers to this region who have been seduced by the Miao women would have unknowingly taken meals laced with this powerful poison and if they return to their lovers within the time they have promised, they would be given an antidote. If they do not intend to keep their promises, they would die of "gu" poisoning. Since this deadly poison is tasteless and does not act immediately, its victims can live their normal lives before they begin to feel sick. Once they begin to feel sick, the poison would destroy them from within and they cannot escape death without the antidote.

If the "gu" is too deadly, there is probably an easier way to keep your man. I remember watching a Chinese documentary about ghosts and superstitions some years back. In one of its episodes, the "master" talked about an artiste who was living with his girlfriend and he was shocked when he found out that his girlfriend has been collecting his pubic hair and keeping it in the belief that he would belong to her forever if she keeps his pubic hair.

The kiss, which is the symbol of love, is also surrounded by various superstitions. Being kissed by someone who leans over your shoulder is believed to be unlucky as it is common sense that anything performed from behind makes you vulnerable to attack. It is a bad omen to kiss someone on the nose as superstition claims that this will cause a quarrel. The 'love bite' is also believed to be a bad omen because it is often associated with vampires and may cause a couple to break up.

Even love letters are not exempted from superstitious beliefs as indicated in the following examples. Superstition says that if your hand trembles while you are writing the letter, your lover has a strong affection for you. Making a blot while you are at work indicates that your lover is thinking of you at that particular moment. Never post a love letter on a Sunday (you will quarrel with your lover if you do) and never send an insufficiently stamped letter. If two different admirers send you a letter in the same post, it is an indication that you are never going to marry either of them. Lastly, burning love letters is considered a very bad omen so always tear your love letters instead of burning them if you don't want to lead a miserable life.

As for engagement rings, superstition claims that there are precious stones most appropriate for the month you get engaged. The garnet which symbolizes commitment in love is the birthstone for January, the amethyst which symbolizes spirituality, integrity, and purity of heart is the birthstone for February, and the bloodstone which is known as a stone of courage is March's birthstone. The diamond which symbolizes eternal love is the birthstone for April while the birthstone of May is the emerald which symbolizes a happy and successful marriage. The agate symbolizing health and long life is for June; the carnelian symbolizing a contented mind is for July; the sardonyx symbolizing courage, happiness, and clear communication is for August; for September, the sapphire, symbolizing fidelity and integrity; for October, the opal symbolizing faithfulness, confidence, and creativity; for November, the topaz symbolizing love and fidelity; for December, the turquoise which is a symbol of love.

To propose to your lover on a train, bus or in any public place is considered unlucky and if a man encounters a snake on his way to propose he should postpone his proposal because or it will bring bad luck. If he is being interrupted by another woman when proposing, this woman will become his second wife some day. It is better off for a man to stay single if he is refused three times as he would be happier being a bachelor. Superstition also explains that anyone who receives a marriage proposal at a dance but rejected it will have a lot of bad luck. And of course, a woman should never propose to a man as there is an old belief which says that a woman who is so eager to get married and ended up proposing to a man will end up begging for bread.

The maid who asks a man to wed,

Will come to want and beg for bread.

The belief that May is an inauspicious month for weddings and June an auspicious one originated with the Romans. The old superstition which says, "Marry in May, rue the day" has been around since the days of ancient Rome. The month of May was named after Maia, a reclusive Goddess who dwelt alone in wild caves far from civilization and is therefore an unsuitable deity for lovers. To be safe, avoid the month of May, especially the 13th. June, however, was named after the much loved and fiercely loyal wife of Jupiter, Juno, the Roman Goddess of marriage and childbirth. For the Chinese, August is a lucky month in which to get married and this is particularly true if the wedding date is on the 8th of August because 8 is a lucky number for wedding. The Chinese, however, would avoid the ghost months, March (tomb-sweeping Ching Ming Festival), July (Hungry Ghost Festival), and October (ancestor memorials Chung Yeung Festival) as these are inauspicious for wedding. As for the days of the week to wed, Monday is believed to be good for wealth, Tuesday for health, Wednesday the best day of all, Thursday for losses, Friday for crosses, and Saturday which the most popular day to marry is the unluckiest day. 

What would you give as wedding gifts? Never give the couple a knife set as a wedding gift even though they love to cook because knives cut things in two - this is bad luck as the knife set signifies a broken relationship. Like the knife set, scissors are also a bad wedding gift. In Chinese 'giving clock' means 'attending a funeral ceremony' and therefore it is bad luck to give a clock as a wedding gift as it means "the end." Giving a mirror is a sign of bad luck because, according to a superstition which originated in Ancient Rome, breaking a mirror brings seven years of bad luck. 

According to folklore, the bridesmaid who catches the bride's bouquet will be the next to marry but if she stumbles on the way to the altar, it is likely that she would never marry at all. Never let another woman try on your engagement ring as she will steal the heart of your husband and your wedding will never take place. Superstition also makes it very gloomy for the couple should they drop the wedding ring during the wedding ceremony. If the bride or groom drops the ring during the wedding ceremony, whoever drops it will die first. Should the wedding ring roll off the altar steps, the marriage would come to an abrupt end. If the wedding ring breaks, the marriage would come to an end through the loss of a husband. Never wear your wedding ring before your wedding ceremony as this would bring bad luck. And never take off your wedding ring after it has been slipped on your finger as this would also bring bad luck.

Like humans, ghosts also want to get married. The Chinese ghost marriage in which one or both parties have died, is a 3000-year-old tradition and is still practised in rural China. This kind of marriage is arranged by the family of the deceased as it is believed that a single man who dies will give his family members problems unless they find him a wife. Therefore, if the deceased did not get married when they were alive, they would have to get married after their death. If a living girl marries a dead man, which normally happens if the groom's family is super rich, she will live a chaste life and become the caregiver of the family. A ghost marriage is very similar to a normal marriage as it observes many of the typical marriage ceremony and rites but since one or more parties are dead, the deceased are represented by paper effigies (over a bamboo frame) wearing wedding clothes. Their wedding chamber is decorated with paper effigies of the furniture that they need to use in their new home such as a dressing table, bed, refrigerator, television, computer, table, chairs, mobile phones, and even paper servants. The deceased are treated as though they are alive as they participate in the proceedings. Once the wedding ceremony has been completed, the paper effigies are burnt so that these could be sent to another world. It is believed that these afterlife marriages would enable the deceased to live a happy married life in their new world - a happily ever afterlife. It should be noted that China is not the only country practising ghost marriage as other countries such as France, India, and Sudan also have their own forms of ghost marriage.

Thanks for reading. You may also like to read Is Marriage Really Necessary and Important in Today's World? and How Long Should a Widower Wait to Remarry After the Death of His Wife? To view the content page of this blog, please click here.


Reference:
1.  SUPERSTITIONS BY PETER HAINING. TREASURE PRESS.

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES FROM POPE FRANCIS THAT CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE

The young and handsome Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Pope Francis)

Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born on 17 December 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He became the 266th. pope of the Roman Catholic Church on 13 March 2013. He is the first Jesuit pope, the first from South America, and the first from the Western Hemisphere. He chose Francis as his papal name in honor of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Francis Xavier. The son of an accountant whose family had emigrated  from north -western Italy's Piedmont region, Bergoglio had distinguished himself at the age of 20 when he entered the seminary in 1957. In 1958, he chose the intellectually challenging and socially rigorous Society of Jesus as his path to priesthood. He taught unruly boys, washed the feet of prisoners, and studied overseas. In 1964, his superiors assigned him to be a maestrillo (teaching student-priest) at the Institute of Immaculate Conception in Santa Fe, Argentina. During his two-year tenure at Santa Fe, Bergoglio exhibited two characteristics - strictness and leniency. "What distinguished him was that he was dedicated to getting the full potential of every individual. He was demanding - but at the same time, he accompanied you throughout that process," says a former student, Jose Luis Lorenzatti. Twenty years later, as a professor of theology and philosophy at his alma mater, Colegio Maximo, Bergoglio exhibited the same traits. According to a former student, Ramiro de la Serna, "As a professor, he was very porteno, using jokes with double meanings, very picaresque. But at the same time, he was very strict, very demanding. He was close to the students, but he wasn't going to give us any extra points for that closeness." Bergoglio was ordained a priest in 1969 and was the provincial superior of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in Argentina from 1973 to 1979. In 1998, he became the archbishop of Buenos Aires and was made a cardinal in 2001 by Pope John Paul II.

These 20 inspirational quotes from Pope Francis will surely change your way of thinking and help you to live a more meaningful life.

• Let the Church always be a place of mercy and hope, where everyone is welcomed, loved and forgiven.
• The Church must be a place of mercy freely given, where everyone can feel welcomed, loved, forgiven, and encouraged to live the good life of the Gospel.
• Faith is not a light which scatters all our darkness, but a lamp which guides our steps in the night and suffices for the journey.
• Having faith does not mean having no difficulties, but having the strength to face them, knowing we are not alone.
• If we start without confidence, we have already lost half the battle and we bury our talents.
• Miracles happen. But prayer is needed! Prayer that is courageous, struggling and persevering, not prayer that is a mere formality.

• Although the life of a person is a land full of thorns and weeds, there is always a space in which the good seed can grow.
• The family is where we are formed as people. Every family is a brick in the building of society.
• Take care of your family life, giving your children and loved ones not just money, but most of all your time, attention and love.
• Abortion isn't a lesser evil, it's a crime. Taking one life to save another, that's what the Mafia does. It's a crime. It's an absolute evil.

• Truth, according to the Christian faith, is God's love for us in Jesus Christ. Therefore, truth is a relationship.
• Let us never lose hope! God loves us always, even with our mistakes and sins.
• To be saints is not a privilege for the few, but a vocation for everyone.
• If we wish to follow Christ closely, we cannot choose and easy, quiet life. It will be a demanding life, but full of joy.
• From my point of view, God is the light that illuminates the darkness, even if it does not dissolve it, and a spark of divine light is within each of us.
• Holiness doesn't mean doing extraordinary things, but doing ordinary things with love and faith.
• We must restore hope to young people, help the old, be open to the future, spread love. Be poor among the poor. We need to include the excluded and preach peace.
• Human rights are not only violated by terrorism, repression or assassination, but also by unfair economic structures that creates huge inequalities.

• My mission of being in the heart of the people is not just a part of my life or a badge I can take off; it is not an "extra" or just another moment in life. Instead, it is something I cannot uproot from my being without destroying my very self. I am a mission on this earth; that is the reason why I am here in this world.
• This is important: to get to know people, listen, expand the circle of ideas. The world is crisscrossed by roads that came closer together and move apart, but the important thing is that they lead towards the Good.

References:
1.  Pope Francis and the New Vatican. Washington, DC: National Geographic.

Pope Francis and the New Vatican is a breathtaking book of photography which reveals the Vatican in the time of the "People's Pope", with extraordinary images and illuminating reporting from inside the city walls and beyond.

You may also like to read QUOTATIONS FROM THE BIBLE. To view the content page of this blog, please click here.