On Friday, October 27, at 6:00 p.m., the Vatican will pray for peace. This was announced by Pope Francis at the end of his weekly public catechesis. The reason for this initiative is none other than the violence unleashed between Israel and the Hamas.
POPE FRANCIS
I urge believers to take only one side in this conflict: that of peace. But not with words but with prayer, with total dedication.
Casualties are increasing and the situation in gaza is desperate. Please do everything possible to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe.
The Pope wants October 27 to be a universal day of fasting, penance and prayer. He also invited representatives of other religions to join him. He asked the diocesan bishops to participate in this initiative with similar ideas involving their parishoners. The Pope's words showed a strong concern for the situation.
POPE FRANCIS
Brothers and sisters, war does not solve any problems. It only sows death and destruction. It increases hatred, multiplies revenge. War erases the future, it erases the future.
On the other hand, from a diplomatic point of view, the Vatican is on the move. The Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, has visited the embassies of Palestine and Israel, although the state of Israel publicly expressed their disproval that Pope Francis did not explicitly condemn the Hamas terrorist group.
JRB
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