Pope Francis participates in an interreligious prayer meeting at the Colosseum and speaks: We must not give in to war, but sow the seeds of reconciliation.
(Vatican News Network)Pope Francis went to the Colosseum in central Rome on the afternoon of October 25 to participate in an interreligious prayer meeting organized by the San Echid group. On this occasion, the Pope “shouts” for peace with the leaders of the Christian faith and of the religions of the world.
“This year our prayers have turned into ‘screams’, because today, the Pope said, our prayers have been seriously violated, trampled on: this is happening in Europe, a continent that has experienced the tragedies of two world wars in the last century “We are in the first Three wars. Unfortunately, since then, wars have never stopped bleeding and drying the earth and we are experiencing a particularly tragic moment”.
This prayer meeting continues the “spirit of fraternity” of the interreligious prayer meeting for peace held in Assisi 36 years ago at the behest of St. John Paul II. Pope Francis reiterated that “peace is at the heart of every religion”. In many parts of the world, peace is denied, insulted and often silenced because of “militant rhetoric”, hatred and apathy.
The pope said voices calling for peace “cannot be oppressed”. “It came from the hearts of mothers, and was written on the faces of refugees, fleeing families, the wounded or the dying. It was a silent cry that reached heaven. It was not a spell for ending the conflict, but for suffering. The sacred right to peace in the name of the Lord deserves to be heard. It deserves to be listened to by everyone, starting with the rulers, with seriousness and respect ”.
Peace is obviously a gift from God, but we human beings must also receive and nurture it. The Pope urged: “Please, we must not allow the logic of war to contaminate us; we must not fall into the trap of the enemy’s hatred. We must restore peace to the center of our vision of the future, as our individual, as a society. , at all levels, the central goal of sexual and political action.
Pope Francis went on to cite a speech delivered on the radio by Pope John XXIII 60 years ago to the rulers of various countries, renewing his appeal to “promote, facilitate and embrace dialogue at all levels and at all times”.
In addition, Pope Francis also stressed that the fraternity between religions has strengthened over the years: “We feel more and more brothers and sisters”. A year ago, the leaders of various religions held a peaceful prayer meeting at the Colosseum. “Religion cannot be used to fuel war.” That statement is still relevant today.
The Pope concluded by emphasizing that peace is a mission and that we must not succumb to war. May all peoples of the world increase their brotherhood, may all nations prosper, and may peace come into the world, which requires not only the grace of God but also the kindness of those whom the Lord loves.
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