At noon local time on Sunday, Pope Francis appeared at the window of his study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace to recite the Angelus with the faithful and with pilgrims who had gathered in Saint Peter's Square.
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Hello!
Today, dear brothers and sisters, I wish to add my voice to the cry
which rises up with increasing anguish from every part of the world, from every
people, from the heart of each person, from the one great family which is
humanity: it is the cry for peace! It is a cry which declares with force: we
want a peaceful world, we want to be men and women of peace, and we want in our
society, torn apart by divisions and conflict, that peace break out! War never
again! Never again war! Peace is a precious gift, which must be promoted and
protected.
There are so many conflicts in this world which cause me great suffering and
worry, but in these days my heart is deeply wounded in particular by what is
happening in Syria and anguished by the dramatic developments which are
looming.
I appeal strongly for peace, an appeal which arises from deep within me.
How much suffering, how much devastation, how much pain has the use of arms
carried in its wake in that martyred country, especially among civilians and the
unarmed! I think of many children who will not see the light of the future! With
utmost firmness I condemn the use of chemical weapons: I tell you that those
terrible images from recent days are burned into my mind and heart. There is a
judgment of God and of history upon our actions which are inescapable! Never has
the use of violence brought peace in its wake. War begets war, violence begets
violence.
With all my strength, I ask each party in this conflict to listen to the
voice of their own conscience, not to close themselves in solely on their own
interests, but rather to look at each other as brothers and decisively and
courageously to follow the path of encounter and negotiation, and so overcome
blind conflict. With similar vigour I exhort the international community to make
every effort to promote clear proposals for peace in that country without further
delay, a peace based on dialogue and negotiation, for the good of the entire
Syrian people.
May no effort be spared in guaranteeing humanitarian assistance to those
wounded by this terrible conflict, in particular those forced to flee and the
many refugees in nearby countries. May humanitarian workers, charged with the
task of alleviating the sufferings of these people, be granted access so as to
provide the necessary aid.
What can we do to make peace in the world? As Pope John said, it pertains to
each individual to establish new relationships in human society under the
mastery and guidance of justice and love (cf. John XXIII, Pacem in Terris 301-302).
All men and women of good will are bound by the task of pursuing peace. I
make a forceful and urgent call to the entire Catholic Church, and also to every
Christian of other confessions, as well as to followers of every religion and to
those brothers and sisters who do not believe: peace is a good which overcomes
every barrier, because it belongs to all of humanity!
I repeat forcefully: it is neither a culture of confrontation nor a culture
of conflict which builds harmony within and between peoples, but rather a
culture of encounter and a culture of dialogue; this is the only way to
peace.
May the plea for peace rise up and touch the heart of everyone so that they
may lay down their weapons and let themselves be led by the desire for
peace.
To this end, brothers and sisters, I have decided to proclaim for the whole
Church on 7 September next, the vigil of the birth of Mary, Queen of Peace, a
day of fasting and prayer for peace in Syria, the Middle East, and throughout
the world, and I also invite each person, including our fellow Christians,
followers of other religions and all men of good will, to participate, in
whatever way they can, in this initiative.
On 7 September, in Saint Peter’s Square, here, from 19:00 until 24:00, we
will gather in prayer and in a spirit of penance, invoking God’s great gift of
peace upon the beloved nation of Syria and upon each situation of conflict and
violence around the world. Humanity needs to see these gestures of peace and to
hear words of hope and peace! I ask all the local churches, in addition to
fasting, that they gather to pray for this intention.
Let us ask Mary to help us to respond to violence, to conflict and to war,
with the power of dialogue, reconciliation and love. She is our mother: may she
help us to find peace; all of us are her children! Help us, Mary, to overcome
this most difficult moment and to dedicate ourselves each day to building in
every situation an authentic culture of encounter and peace. Mary, Queen of
Peace, pray for us!
After the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
Yesterday in Bucarest, the Servant of God, Vladimir Ghika, a diocesan priest who was born in Istanbul and who suffered martyrdom in Bucarest in 1954, was proclaimed Blessed. Tomorrow, in Messina, the Beatification of Antonio Franco, one of the Ordinary Prelates of Santa Lucia del Mela, who lived between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, was celebrated. Let us give thanks to God for these examplary witnesses of the gospel.
In Italy today, we remember the Day for care of creation, promoted by the Episcopal Conference. This year's theme is very beautiful: The family teaches the care of creation.
Through Mary, the Lord makes his tenderness known! Let us be united today with all the faithful of Syracuse who are celebrating today the sixtieth anniversary of the Madonna's tears.
I affectionately greet all the people of Rome and all the pilgrims who are here, in particular the young people from many countries of the world: commit yourselves, commit yourselves to conservation, to working together! This is how you build a future of peace!
I greet the families of Catholic Action from Mellaredo and Rivale; the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Apparition; and the Pius Society of Saint Gaetano from Thierne.
I greet the faithful from Valle di Scalve, from Reschigliano, Albano Saint'Alessandro, Caerano di San Marco, Padua and Marradi; the ACLI group from Tolmezzo; the National Association of Carabinieri from Pontedera; the choir from Taviano, and the youth from Zelarino, Zevio, Gandino and Matera.
And today, I ask you to pray for peace. See you next Saturday at 7:00pm.
I wish you all a good Sunday, and a good lunch. Goodbye!
Greetings of His Holiness, Pope Francis
prior to the recitation of the Angelus
After the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
Yesterday in Bucarest, the Servant of God, Vladimir Ghika, a diocesan priest who was born in Istanbul and who suffered martyrdom in Bucarest in 1954, was proclaimed Blessed. Tomorrow, in Messina, the Beatification of Antonio Franco, one of the Ordinary Prelates of Santa Lucia del Mela, who lived between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, was celebrated. Let us give thanks to God for these examplary witnesses of the gospel.
In Italy today, we remember the Day for care of creation, promoted by the Episcopal Conference. This year's theme is very beautiful: The family teaches the care of creation.
Through Mary, the Lord makes his tenderness known! Let us be united today with all the faithful of Syracuse who are celebrating today the sixtieth anniversary of the Madonna's tears.
I greet the faithful from Valle di Scalve, from Reschigliano, Albano Saint'Alessandro, Caerano di San Marco, Padua and Marradi; the ACLI group from Tolmezzo; the National Association of Carabinieri from Pontedera; the choir from Taviano, and the youth from Zelarino, Zevio, Gandino and Matera.
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