The Parish Council of Parque das Nações, where Parque Tejo in Lisbon is situated and extends to the neighboring municipality of Loures, has given its approval to rename the park to Parque Papa Francisco. This proposal was endorsed by the mayor of Lisbon, Carlos Moedas, and the councilman responsible for Toponymy, Diogo Moura.
The Municipal Toponymy Commission reached this decision on Tuesday, a day after Pope Francis passed away, following the announcement of the proposal by Carlos Moedas. This advisory body of the city council expressed its support for changing the name of Parque Tejo in the area within Lisbon’s jurisdiction.
In the municipality of Loures, led by Mayor Ricardo Leão, it is expected that the formalization of the name Parque Papa Francisco will occur at the regular meeting on April 30th, a municipal source reported.
On Tuesday, inquiries were made to the office of Lisbon’s Mayor Moedas regarding the timing of the discussion on the proposal, to which it was initially stated that it had not yet been scheduled. However, sources later confirmed that the proposal would be presented at the city council’s public meeting this Wednesday, starting at 3 PM, as an additional agenda item.
Following the death of Pope Francis on Monday at the age of 88, Mayor Moedas, during a memorial mass that evening for the leader of the Catholic Church, announced his intention to propose renaming Parque Tejo to Parque Papa Francisco.
Parque Tejo spans approximately 100 hectares across the municipalities of Lisbon and Loures and was transformed from a landfill, the Beirolas sanitary landfill, into a green park.
The park was a prime venue for the World Youth Day in August 2023, attended by Pope Francis and drawing around 1.5 million participants.
The Socialist Party representatives in Lisbon expressed agreement with Moedas’ proposal, acknowledging it as a fitting tribute to Pope Francis, who visited Portugal twice and was the host of the World Youth Day in Lisbon. However, they emphasized the need for significant improvements to the area before associating it with his name.
An official from the Communist Party shared their agreement on naming the park after Pope Francis but emphasized the need to address the state of the green space. The political group Livre criticized Carlos Moedas for seemingly treating the matter with disregard, while Cidadãos Por Lisboa and BE reserved their positions pending the proposal’s presentation.
The PSD/CDS-PP leadership’s proposal highlights Pope Francis’ visit in August 2023 during World Youth Day, the first held in Portugal’s capital, where he shared a profound message of inclusivity: “All, All, All!” A pivotal moment during the event was the vigil on August 5th, attended by nearly 1.5 million people in a rejuvenated area of the city, now proposed to be officially named as Parque Papa Francisco.
“Lisbon will not forget such an influential gathering, uniting people and generations worldwide, featuring speeches by the Holy Father at Parque Eduardo VII and Parque das Nações, delivering messages filled with joy, understanding, inclusion, generosity, and dedication to others,” the proposal states. It further underscores Pope Francis’ visit to the Bairro da Serafina, showcasing the essence of his papacy.
The document underscores that Lisbon experienced exceptional moments during World Youth Day, enriched by the vibrant and touching energy of a personality of global significance. Therefore, it asserts that Pope Francis deserves an exceptional municipal tribute, cementing his legacy in Lisbon’s identity and memory as the Pope of hope.
Pope Francis, born in Buenos Aires, passed away on Monday at the age of 88 due to a stroke after a 12-year papacy. His final public appearance was on Easter Sunday at the Vatican, a day before his death.
Portugal has declared three days of national mourning.
