Thousands of pilgrims attended the pope's Angelus in St. Peter's Square. Pope Francis explained some of the points of the synod that has just ended.
POPE FRANCIS
“Each of us has asked ourselves many times what good we can do with our lives. Today is the day. Let us ask ourselves, 'What good can we do for the Gospel?' During the synod, we asked ourselves this question, desiring to open new paths to preach the Gospel.”
The pope said that this time has served to reflect on the abuse of the Amazon's resources and the global ecological crisis.
He said that the poorest will pay the price, and that “if measures are taken later, it will be too late.”
Pope Francis also recalled the critical situation in Lebanon, where since Oct. 17 hundreds of thousands of people have been paralyzed by the protests against political corruption and the economic crisis.
POPE FRANCIS
“I urge everyone to seek solutions in the way of dialogue, and pray to Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace, so that with the support of the international community, the country will remain to be a space for peaceful coexistence and respect for the dignity and freedom of every person.”
The pope is concerned about the situation in Lebanon because it's one of the most stable countries in the Middle East and is a democracy where Christians and Muslims coexist peacefully.
Before saying goodbye, Pope Francis asked Catholics to pray the rosary for world peace.
Javier Martínez-Brocal
Translated: Rachel Dobrzynski