Speaking to 50,000 pilgrims during his weekly Angelus prayer at St. Peter's Square, Pope Francis called on the crowd to pray for victims of violence in Iraq and Syria.
POPE FRANCIS
'Let us pray for those brothers and sisters in Syria and Iraq who suffer because of their faith ... We pray in silence.'
A concerned Pope Francis said it is necessary to support persecuted Christians in the Middle East with persistent messages of encouragement.
POPE FRANCIS
'We don't forget them, moreover, we are close to them. We pray constantly for the earliest possible end to the intolerable brutality that victimizes them.'
Pope Francis also called for an end to the violence in Venezuela. Anti-government protests have raged for days. Tension has increased since the death of a 14-year-old boy during the demonstrations. The Pope said he prays for him and that violence will give way to productive dialogue.
POPE FRANCIS
'I ask everyone to reject violence and respect the dignity of each person and the sacrality of human life. I invite the country to return to non-violent methods.'
It was the second Sunday of Lent, the day the Church celebrates the Transfiguration of Jesus. That was a moment of glory before Jesus had to pass through Calvary. The Pope recommended that in moments of difficulty, Christians should remember this Gospel story. With it, Jesus wanted to send a message of hope to his disciples.
