Pope Francis’ prayer for the Holy Land

These are the words spoken by Pope Francis at the Urbi et Orbi message of April 5th and of the Regina Coeli of April 6th 2015.

“We ask Jesus, the Victor over death, to lighten the sufferings of our many brothers and sisters who are persecuted for his name, and of all those who suffer injustice as a result of ongoing conflicts and violence. There are so many of them!

We ask for peace, above all, for beloved Syria and Iraq, that the roar of arms may cease and that peaceful relations may be restored among the various groups which make up those beloved countries. May the international community not stand by before the immense humanitarian tragedy unfolding in these countries and the drama of the numerous refugees.

We pray for peace for all the peoples of the Holy Land. May the culture of encounter grow between Israelis and Palestinians and the peace process be resumed, in order to end years of suffering and division.”

“The spiritual journey of intense prayer must continue for everyone, our concrete participation and tangible help in the defence and protection of our brothers and sisters, who are being persecuted, exiled, killed, decapitated for the sole reason that they are Christian. They are our martyrs of today, and they are so many, we could say that they are more numerous than in the early centuries. I hope that the international community will not remain mute and inert before such an unacceptable crime, which is a worrying deviation from the most basic human rights.”

We remind our commitment for Emergency Syria.

The Franciscan friars of the Custody of the Holy Land have created four shelters where approximately 200 people are able to sleep and have been providing basic needs (food, clothing and medicine) to an average of 400 people per day. Each month about 50 families come looking for new housing. Through Association pro Terra Sancta you can be close to the Franciscan friars in Syria.

Discover how to support the friars present in Syria.