Reflecting on the upcoming Christmas season, Pope Francis yesterday warned that if “desensitisation and indifference to the horrors of war prevail, all of humanity is defeated”. Source: Vatican News.
“I hope that the glimmer of peace that has emerged can lead to a ceasefire on all other fronts,” Pope Francis stated after praying the Angelus yesterday.
He was referring to the ceasefire agreement reached between Hezbollah in Lebanon and Israel to end 13 months of fighting.
Building upon this, the Pope also challenged the Lebanese people to elect a president. “As soon as possible,” he encouraged, “so that institutions can return to normal functioning, proceed with the necessary reforms, and ensure the country remains an example of peaceful coexistence among different religions.”
However, both Israel and Hezbollah accuse the other of breaching the ceasefire agreement as there have been reports the Israeli air force struck a Hezbollah facility one day after the ceasefire was signed.
Pope Francis continued to express his concern for other areas of the world in conflict, including Gaza, Syria, and Ukraine. He shared his deep concern for the release of Israeli hostages and petitioned once again that “humanitarian aid to the exhausted Palestinian population” be available.
The Pope remembered “martyred Ukraine” in the midst of a conflict that has been raging for almost three years. He called the combination of war and cold temperatures “tragic” and underscored that for the millions of displaced people, winter will be difficult.
Pope Francis renewed his challenge to the international community “and to every man and woman of good will, to do everything possible to stop this war and to promote dialogue, fraternity, and reconciliation.”
With the start of Advent and the countdown to Christmas beginning, the Pope called to renew efforts to provide aid and hope to those living in war-torn countries.
“The pursuit of peace is not the responsibility of a few but of all,” he stated, because if “desensitisation and indifference to the horrors of war prevail, all of humanity is defeated.”
FUILL STORY
Pope after Angelus: ‘Pursuit of peace is responsibility of all’ (By Kielce Gussie, Vatican News)
