As usual, Pope Francis has sent out his monthly intention video. For March, he asks Christians to pray for the “recognition of the rights of Christian Communities.”
He says there are “more martyrs today than in the first centuries.”According to ACN more than 245 million Christians are strongly persecuted throughout the world.
The pope says Christians are persecuted because they “speak the truth and proclaim Jesus Christ” to society.” In this year alone, it began with killing of 23 people, during a Mass at the Cathedral of Jolo in the Philippines.
Pope Francis also notes in the video that the rights of Christians are too undermined in countries which “in theory and on paper, they protect freedom and human rights.”
He asks people to especially pray for those persecuted Christian Communities so they feel “close to Christ and have their rights respected.”
