“We all feel the pain of the wars.”
Pope Francis acknowledged the proliferation of war and its devastating effects with those words in a video message released on Wednesday.
“Since the Second World War ended until today, wars have followed in many parts of the world,” he said. “When they are far away from us, we do not feel them as much. Today there are two very near that force us to react: Ukraine and the Holy Land.”
The Pope expressed his sorrow for the suffering caused by war. “What is happening in the Holy Land is very painful. It is very painful,” he said.
Right to live in peace
Pope Francis went on to assert that the Palestinian people and the people of Israel “have the right to peace”.
“These two fraternal peoples have the right to live in peace,” he added.
He then invited everyone to pray for peace in the Holy Land and for dialogue to prevail.
“Let us pray for peace in the Holy Land,” he said. “Let us pray that the difficulties resolve themselves in dialogue and negotiation and not with a mountain of dead on each side.”
Prayer novena for peace
The Pope’s video message was accompanied by a press release from the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, which invites people to take part in a novena.
The “Peacemakers” novena seeks to unite Christians in praying for “peace in the world, and for the Holy Land, Palestine and Israel.”
Prayers and material can be found at the link and on the “Click To Pray” app, known as the Pope’s official prayer app.
By Devin Watkins | Vaticannews
