This Holy Week, State Representative Brad Stephens is sending Happy Easter wishes to his constituents across the 20th District.
The Representative, who also serves as Mayor of Rosemont, traveled to Rome on a special delegation of Illinois Mayors and visited with Pope Leo in the Vatican.
It was a special start to the Holy Week for Stephens, who joined 20 mayors from across the state on this Illinois Municipal League diplomatic mission and cultural exchange. Their visit to the Vatican included a Mass celebrated by the Rev. Zachary Samples, a Springfield priest, near the tomb of St. Peter in the lower level of St. Peter’s Basilica. The mass was followed by a private audience with Pope Leo in Clementine Hall, the pope’s primary reception room in the Apostolic Palace.
According to Rep. Stephens, the Pope told the elected leaders that “the heart of authentic authority is service,” and called them to be attentive to the needs of the weakest and most vulnerable.
The delegation also visited the U.S. embassy on Tuesday; Rep. Stephens is pictured there with his son Joseph below.
