Pope prays for peace in Egypt, urges service to life, the sick
(February 07, 2011) Pope Benedict XVI who is closely following developments in Egypt
on Sunday offered prayers for peace in the troubled nation. Sunday was the 13th
day of protests attempting to oust President Hosni Mubarak, who has reigned in Egypt
for almost 30 years. Addressing a large crowd gathered below his studio window overlooking
St. Peter’s Square in Rome for the weekly midday ‘Angelus’ prayer, Pope Benedict
said, "I ask God that the land, blessed by the presence of the Holy Family, rediscover
tranquility and peaceful coexistence in the shared commitment to the common good."
Associated Press reported that Christians held a Sunday Mass, in which thousands of
Muslims participated. The Pontiff also used his Sunday ‘Angelus’ to encourage
those working in the health care sector to build a culture of life based on ethical
values. He spoke in view of the upcoming World Day of the Sick on Friday, which the
Catholic Church observes every year on the Feb. 11th feast of Our Lady
of Lourdes. This day "is an opportune occasion to reflect, to pray and to increase
the ecclesial community's and civil society's awareness of sick brothers and sisters,"
he affirmed. "God is radically opposed to the arrogance of evil,” the Pope said, adding,
“the Lord cares for man in every situation, shares his suffering and opens his heart
to hope." The Holy Father thus exhorted all health care workers to see in the sick
person not only a body marked by fragility, but first of all a person, to whom complete
solidarity must be extended and adequate and competent responses given. On Sunday
the Catholic Church of Italy marked the "Day for Life" and there were many in St.
Peter’s Square adhering to the initiative. The Pope hoped that "everyone will strive
to help the culture of life grow, to put the value of human beings at the centre in
all circumstances.” "According to faith and reason the dignity of the person is
irreducible to his faculties or the capacities he can manifest, and so it is not lessened
when the person himself is weak, handicapped and in need of help," Pope Benedict asserted.