“In recent days, we have prayed for the deceased, and sadly, among them are many who died in combat and bombings, including civilians, children, the elderly, and the sick,” the Holy Father said this Sunday after the Angelus prayer.
A statement released by the Holy See Press Office indicated that, from the window of his study in the Apostolic Palace, His Holiness expressed his “gratitude to all those who, in every sphere, work for building peace in the several regions marked by war.”
Before thousands of people gathered at Saint Peter’s Square, the Bishop of Rome emphasized that “if we truly want to honor the memory” of those who lost their lives in armed conflicts, “let us declare a ceasefire and pull all our efforts into negotiation.”
In recent remarks delivered on the Jubilee of Marian Spirituality, the Pope referred to the progress in efforts to end the conflict in the Middle East, where, due to the Israeli attacks, more than 67,000 Palestinians have already died in the Gaza Strip.
Leo XIV considered that “the agreement to begin the peace process has sparked a glimmer of hope in the Holy Land,” and encouraged “the parties involved to continue courageously along the path set toward a just and lasting peace.”
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