Pope Leo XIV on Sunday lamented escalating violence in Iran and Syria and renewed his appeal for peace in Ukraine, while also offering a special blessing for children receiving baptism and praying for those born into “difficult circumstances.”
Speaking after the Angelus on Jan. 11, the pope said: “My thoughts turn to the situation currently unfolding in the Middle East, especially in Iran and Syria, where ongoing tensions continue to claim many lives.” He added: “I hope and pray that dialogue and peace may be patiently nurtured in pursuit of the common good of the whole of society.”
The pope’s remarks came amid unrest in Tehran, where anti-government protests that began about two weeks ago have left more than 70 people dead, according to human rights organizations.
After the Angelus, Pope Leo XIV lamented escalating violence in Iran, especially in Tehran with anti-government protests, and renewed fighting in Syria, citing clashes in Aleppo that have killed civilians and displaced families. He again appealed for peace in Ukraine, warning… pic.twitter.com/YU0bp4nM78
He also pointed to renewed fighting in Syria, where international media reports say clashes have erupted in Aleppo between the interim government’s army and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces over control of neighborhoods in the city center. At least 14 civilians have been killed, with dozens injured and tens of thousands displaced, according to those reports.
Turning to the war in Ukraine, Leo warned of the mounting toll of Russian strikes as winter intensifies.
“In Ukraine, new attacks – particularly severe ones aimed at energy infrastructure as the cold weather grows harsher – are taking a heavy toll on the civilian population,” he said. “I pray for those who suffer and renew my appeal for an end to the violence and for renewed efforts to achieve peace.”
Recent attacks have left more than one million homes without water or heat in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region.
Earlier in the day, the pope celebrated Mass for the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord and baptized 20 newborns, the children of Vatican employees, in the Sistine Chapel. After the Angelus, he said he wanted to extend his blessing “to all children who have received or will receive Baptism during these days – in Rome and throughout the world – entrusting them to the maternal care of the Virgin Mary.”
He added: “In a particular way, I pray for children born into difficult circumstances, whether due to health conditions or external dangers. May the grace of Baptism, which unites them to the Paschal Mystery of Christ, bear fruit in their lives and in the lives of their families.”
During his Angelus reflection, Leo spoke about the meaning of Christ’s baptism and how the sacrament of baptism makes believers “children of God through the power of his Spirit of life,” encouraging the faithful to remember “the great gift we have received” and to bear witness to it “with joy and authenticity.”
Acest articol a fost publicat pentru prima dată de ACI Prensa, partenerul de știri în limba spaniolă al CNA. Ea a fost tradusă și adaptată de CNA.
Sursă: https://ewtnvatican.com/articles/pope-leo-xiv-condemns-violence-iran-syria-ukraine
