Pope prays for global peace and for all victims of religious persecution

Prayers for peace were central to Pope Francis’ appeals on Sunday as he addressed the faithful gathered in St Peter’s Square for the Angelus.

At the conclusion of the recitation of the Marian Prayer, the Pope invited all those present to care for the marginalised, and to pray for all those suffering from conflict and other forms of injustice.

As wars across the globe persist, the Pope prayed for Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon and Myanmar, reminding the faithful gathered that “war dehumanises” and leads to “the tolerance of unacceptable crimes”.

Remembering the poor

Turning his thoughts to the celebrations for World Day of the Poor, the Pope noted the day’s theme, taken from the Book of Sirach: “The prayer of the poor rises to God”. He emphasised the urgency of addressing the needs of those living in poverty and expressed gratitude to all those who organise acts of solidarity with the poor within their dioceses and parishes.

He also asked all those present to reflect on their mannerisms and actions, and asked that they each reflect on the question: “Do I deprive myself of something to give it to the poor? When I give alms, do I touch the hand of the poor and look into their eyes?”

He reminded everyone that “the poor cannot wait”, and emphasised the importance of always acting out of generosity and with compassion.

Honouring martyrs

Pope Francis also recalled the beatification of three martyrs, whom he said bravely lived out their faith in times of religious persecution. He mentioned Luigi Palić, a Franciscan priest, and Gjon Gazulli, a diocesan priest, who were beatified on Saturday in Shkodër, Albania, for their sacrifice during 20th-century religious persecution. His thoughts then went to Fr Max Josef Metzger, beatified on Sunday ain Freiburg, Germany, who gave his life as a witness to peace, opposing Nazi oppression.

The Pope invited all those present to look to these martyrs as a source of inspiration, particularly for Christians who continue to face discrimination for their faith to this day. “May the example of these martyrs comfort many Christians,” he said.

Prayer for victims of abuse

As we approach World Day the World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, marked on Monday the 18th of November, Pope Francis noted he would be joining the Church in commemorating the day. He called every instance of abuse “a betrayal of trust” and “a betrayal of life,” and underscored the vital need for prayer to restore broken trust.