At the end of the Angelus prayer on Wednesday, Pope Francis presented the Vatican's new monthly magazine.
The paper bears the title "L'Osservatore di Strada" (Street Observer) in reference to the Vatican newspaper "L'Osservatore Romano".
Francis called the new publication, the first issue of which was distributed in St. Peter's Square and adjacent streets on Wednesday, as "a beautiful work that comes from the grass roots, from the poor - an expression of those who are marginalized".
In the twelve-page monthly, "the last become the protagonists," according to the Pope: "Poor and marginalized people take part in the editorial work." The aim of the project is to give those people a voice who usually don't to be heard: the poor, the outcast and the marginalized.
Matthias Rub
Political correspondent for Italy, the Vatican, Albania and Malta based in Rome.
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"L'Osservatore di Strada" is published every first Sunday of the month, in print and online.
The current issue of the newspaper is distributed in and around St. Peter's Square on Sundays.
The "Street Observer" wants to be a newspaper not just for the poor, but by the poor, and to give those who have talent for writing or painting or photography the opportunity to get involved.
The first issue features a long report by the Italian writer Daniele Mencarelli about the Roman homeless man "Mimmo", a report about the night shift of Caritas employees in the streets of Rome and a conversation with the Mali-born poet Soumaila Diawara about the obstacles to integration .
The first edition's collaborators include Cardinal Enrico Feroci and Roman street artist Maupal (Mauro Pallotta), who became famous for his Pope graffiti.
According to the subtitle, the newspaper sees itself as a “newspaper of social friendship and fraternity”.
The monthly is supported by charitable institutions such as Caritas, the Sant'Egidio lay community, the Centro Astalli and the Circolo San Pietro.
The printing costs are covered by donations,