Pope Leo catches eye of cyclist on 2,246-mile pilgrimage to Jerusalem

Andrew Foote was in the crowd when Pope Leo passed and caught his eye © Andrew Foote

Source: Aid to the Church in Need

A cyclist on a 2,246-mile pilgrimage to Jerusalem has said he felt "acknowledged and blessed" after coming face-to-face with Pope Leo XIV in Rome. Andrew Foote came within six feet of the Popemobile in St Peter's Square yesterday (Wednesday, 23rd September), while wearing an Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) 'Team Red' T-shirt to increase awareness about persecuted Christians and raise funds to help them.

The 32-year-old gardener from Willesden Green was among thousands gathered for the Pope's General Audience after receiving an invitation to attend during his stop in Rome.

Andrew said: "There were thousands of people in St Peter's Square. It felt like, in a split second, the Pope saw the T-shirt I was wearing, made eye contact with me and gave me a look of acknowledgement and blessing in one.

"It was very precious."

The encounter marked a major milestone for Andrew, who set out from London on 15th August for a 12-week bicycle pilgrimage to Jerusalem, raising funds and awareness for Christians suffering persecution because of their faith.

He arrived in the Italian capital following an epic leg from Orvieto to Rome and is staying for a week at the Centro Giovanni XXIII, where he has been welcomed by parish priest Father Antonio Lauri.

Fr Lauri said Andrew's journey recalled centuries of Christian pilgrimage across Europe and beyond.

The priest said: "The gesture holds a high symbolic value for us and retraces the ancient pilgrimage itineraries that connected Europe in stages all the way to Jerusalem.

"Our centre wants to be a place of education for peace and the welcoming of diversity, which are clearly so threatened today."

Andrew's journey has already taken him across France and much of Italy, battling temperatures above 30°C, headwinds, exhaustion and days of cycling 60 to 70 miles.

But he has repeatedly insisted that the journey is a pilgrimage rather than an endurance challenge.

Roadside crucifixes, statues of Our Lady and encounters with priests and religious sisters have provided encouragement along the route, as has the knowledge that people at home are praying for him.

His ultimate destination is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, where Christ was crucified, buried and rose from the dead.

Speaking earlier in his journey, Andrew said reaching the Holy Sepulchre was what he was looking forward to most.

"What I'm most looking forward to is putting my hand on the stone in the Holy Sepulchre," he said. "That's where Christ conquered death.

"It's the greatest story and the greatest legacy ever."

This year ACN marks the 10th anniversary of #RedWednesday with its £1Million4Hope Matched Challenge, where all donations are doubled - helping bring hope to persecuted Christians.

To support Andrew visit: www.acnuk.org/cycle4hope

To learn more about #RedWednesday, and how you could get involved see: https://acnuk.org/redwednesday