Pope denounces 'senseless war' in Ukraine and calls for 'silencing the guns'
Pope Francis called on Sunday to “silence the guns” in Ukraine, in the grip of a “senseless war”, during his traditional Christmas message to the Vatican during which he again mentioned the “Third World War”.
REUTERS - YARA NARDI
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
Pope Francis called on Sunday, December 25, to "
silence the guns
" in Ukraine, in the grip of a "
senseless war
", and in the world during his traditional Christmas message to the Vatican during which he again mentioned the "
Third World War
”.
He also mentioned the demonstrations in Iran, a first.
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With our correspondent in Rome
,
Cyprien Viet
Denouncing a “
senseless war
”, Pope Francis called for looking at
the faces of Ukrainians
“
who live this Christmas in the dark, in the cold or far from home, because of the destruction caused by ten months of war
”, s he is saddened by the presence of 70,000 faithful massed in St. Peter's Square in Rome, some of whom were waving Ukrainian flags.
"
May the Lord make us ready for concrete gestures of solidarity to help those who suffer, and may he enlighten the minds of those who have the power to silence the guns and put an immediate end to this senseless war!"
“, added the sovereign pontiff, who tirelessly pleads for peace since the invasion of Ukraine by Russia at the end of February.
"
Third World War
"
The head of the Catholic Church also spoke of “other theaters of conflict in the world.
He cited ten countries affected by violence or tension, which he described as "
other theaters of this Third World War
" thinking in particular of "
Syria, still martyred by a conflict that has passed into the background, but which is not finished
”.
Our time also knows conflicts in Syria, in the Holy Land, in Lebanon, in the Sahel, in Yemen... May the Lord orient these regions towards #peace and bring reconciliation on the American continent, in Burma and Iran, so that let all bloodshed cease.
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex_fr) December 25, 2022
He called for "
dialogue and the search for mutual trust between Israelis and Palestinians to resume
" and
for Lebanon to recover
, with the support of the international community.
Do not use food as a “
weapon of war
”
Relatively discreet since the beginning of the
demonstrations in Iran
, the pope also called for "an end to
all bloodshed
" in the Islamic Republic.
He also mentioned "
the Sahel region where the peaceful coexistence of peoples and traditions is broken by clashes and violence
".
François also denounced the use of food shortages as a "
weapon of war
", noting that the conflict in Ukraine has further aggravated the situation, "
leaving entire populations threatened with famine, particularly in Afghanistan and in the countries of the Horn of Africa
” before adding that “
other wars, we know, cause hunger and use food itself as a weapon by preventing its distribution to already suffering populations.
»
►
To read also: Food crisis in the Horn of Africa: "We must be alarmed by the drought that is hitting the region"
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