Pope Francis: War is a crime against humanity

Last Sunday was Peace Sunday. Let us continue in our prayers to pray for peace in Ukraine and in the Holy Land.

“War itself is a crime against humanity. People need peace. The world needs peace.” Pope Francis launched that appeal for an end to war this last Sunday, as he prayed the Angelus with pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square. “At the beginning of the year, we exchanged wishes for peace, but weapons have continued to kill and destroy,” he lamented. He urged everyone to pray for “people who have power over these conflicts,” so that they might realize that war is “not the way to resolve them”. War, he added, “sows death among civilians and destroys cities and infrastructures.” He asserted that war is itself a crime against humanity. The Pope noted that he had just watched Fr. Ibrahim Faltas, the Vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land in Jerusalem, speaking on a program on Italian TV. Fr. Faltas, said the Holy Father, spoke about the need to “educate for peace.” “We must educate for peace,” said Pope Francis. “It seems that we are not yet—all of humanity—with a sufficient education to stop every war. Let us always pray for this grace: to educate for peace.” [Image: Vatican Website, AFP or licensors]