During the Wednesday General Audience, Pope Francis once again expressed his concern over the conflicts tearing apart several regions of the world, particularly Ukraine, Myanmar, Israel, and Palestine.
In his address, he recalled the tragedy of war, which he called a "true failure from the very beginning," and exhorted the faithful to pray together for peace. He had received alarming statistics on human losses in Ukraine and emphasized that, as always, it is the innocent who pay the highest price for violence.
The Sovereign Pontiff also mentioned that Palestine is suffering "inhuman attacks," calling for the suffering of this people not to be forgotten. He urged the faithful not to turn their eyes away from ongoing conflicts, insisting on the necessity of praying for peace in these war-torn nations. By highlighting that the most profitable investments today are in the armaments sector, he deplored this sad reality and renewed his call for a collective mobilization in favor of peace, before himself pausing for prayerful reflection.
Peace, an urgent need
Pope Francis recalled that war is not only a human catastrophe but also an immense spiritual waste.
"War does not forgive," he stated, emphasizing that its consequences are particularly visible in families, especially among children who suffer from it enduringly. He spoke with sadness of the many ongoing wars and insisted that peace, a gift from God, is an urgent necessity for all nations.
This message is not new, but it is of burning relevance as conflicts multiply across the world. Whether in Ukraine, Palestine, or Myanmar, the Pope calls for a spiritual and collective mobilization to support the victims and work for a lasting peace.