Pope Francis thanks participants of the Prayer Vigil

Vatican City, 10 September 2013: Pope Francis thanked the participants of the prayer vigil held on Saturday. In a twitter message published on Tuesday morning, the Pontiff wrote: I thank everyone who participated in the prayer vigil and the fast for peace.

Millions of people throughout the world responded to Pope Francis' call for a day of prayer and fasting on Saturday for peace in Syria and around the world. And an estimated 100,000 joined the Pope in front of St. Peter’s basilica in Rome in support of the Pope’s appeal for peace.

While addressing the participants of the prayer vigil on Saturday, Pope Francis said that our world, in the heart and mind of God, is the “house of harmony and peace”, and that it is the space in which everyone is able to find their proper place and feel at home, because God saw it was “good”. All of creation forms a harmonious and good unity, but above all humanity, made in the image and likeness of God, is one family, in which relationships are marked by a true fraternity.

Creation retains its beauty which fills us with awe and it remains a good work, said the Pontiff adding that there is also “violence, division, disagreement, war”. According to the Pope this happens when man, the summit of creation, stops contemplating beauty and goodness, and withdraws into his own selfishness.

Asserting that it is possible to change our direction, Pope Francis said that the spiral of sorrow and death can overcome if we hear what God says: violence is not answered with violence, death is not answered with the language of death. In the silence of the Cross, the uproar of weapons ceases and the language of reconciliation, forgiveness, dialogue, and peace is spoken. Pope said: violence and war are never the way to peace! Forgiveness, dialogue, reconciliation – these are the words of peace, he added.
Source: VR Sedoc