Pope: May the war in the Middle East end soon, and national unity be respected

Alessandro de Carolis – Vatican City

It didn’t matter whether it was a Sunday or Wednesday noon window in the atrium of St. Peter’s Square, whether it was a small audience gathered privately or a crowd on an apostolic journey. Even as bombs and missiles, drones and artillery carry the message of death, especially in the Middle East and Eastern Europe – it is important to repeat the daily message of peace with emphasis and resilience.

Right to peace and security

Today, October 11 – as the grim news from the war fronts collides with the announcement of the Nobel Peace Prize, fueling fears of a nuclear holocaust in Japan, and often mentioned recently – Pope Francis’ message comes from a handful of social networks. Hours earlier after a meeting with Ukrainian President Zelensky. Two quick and scathing posts published by the @Pontifex account in a double appeal aimed at reaffirming the “right to be in peace and security” for “all nations”. “Their territories – the text reads – must not be attacked, their sovereignty must be respected and guaranteed through peace and dialogue.”

Prayer for displaced Lebanese

From the outbreak of war in Ukraine, for more than thirty months, to the horror of October 7, 2023, and the devastation unleashed in the Holy Land, Francis has not missed or missed an opportunity to pray, to listen, to urge. The urgency to find a table for any dispute where we can sit down and find a compromise is about a flash point or fire like the last explosion in Gaza. The second post we read: “an immediate ceasefire on all fronts of the war in the Middle East, including Lebanon” and a prayer for the Lebanese “especially the forced southerners to leave their cities” , so they can return soon and live in #peace”.

After recalling a thousand times how crazy all conflicts are, Francis in the first post underscores the obvious truth that message mercilessly conveys: “War and hatred bring only death and destruction to all.”