Pope Francis reiterates his appeal for peace in so many war-afflicted countries and asks all believers to pray that leaders be attuned to the wish of their suffering people who know that weapons do not bring peace.
By Linda Bordoni
Pope Francis has again appealed for peace, entrusting his prayers to Our Lady.
“Spiritually kneeling before the Virgin, I entrust to her the ardent desire for peace of so many people, who in various parts of the world, suffer the senseless disaster of war,“ he said.
The Pope was speaking to men and women of goodwill during his remarks after the Regina Coeli prayer in St. Peter‘s Square at noon.
Noting that at this very hour, many faithful gather around the venerated image of Mary in the Shrine of Pompeii, to address to her the Supplication that flowed from the heart of the Blessed Bartolo Longo, he said he too kneels before the Virgin in supplication for the gift of peace.
“To the Blessed Virgin,“ the Pope said, “I present in particular the sufferings and tears of the Ukrainian people.“
“In the face of the madness of war, let us continue, please, to pray the Rosary for peace every day.”
And, he continued asking for prayers for the leaders of nations:
“That they may not lose their ‘feel’ for their people who want peace, and know well that weapons will never bring it.”
Buying weapons is not the solution to any conflict
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February, Pope Francis has repeatedly appealed for a diplomatic solution to the war.
Speaking during the General Audience on 23 March he remarked on how the war in Ukraine shows that humanity had to shed a strange instinct for “self-destruction” and that buying more weapons was not the ultimate solution to any conflict.
Asking believers to remember all the victims of the war – the dead, including “fallen soldiers on one side or the other”, the wounded, homeless and refugees, the Pope said: “May the Lord send his spirit to make us understand that war is a defeat of humanity.”
