Pope Francis appealed for global attention to the suffering of Rohingya refugees and called for prayers for peace amid wars in Ukraine, the Holy Land, and other places.
“Let us not forget the wars. Let us not forget martyred Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, the Rohingya, and the many, many wars that are everywhere. Let us pray for peace,” said Pope Francis during his weekly General Audience in the Vatican.
The Pope, who visited Myanmar and Bangladesh in 2017, emphasized the need for humanitarian aid in Myanmar and urged dialogue to address the crisis.
“For three years now, the cry of pain and the din of weapons have taken the place of the smile that characterizes the people of Myanmar,” said Pope Francis during the Angelus on January 28.
He joined Burmese Bishops in praying “that the weapons of destruction may be transformed into instruments to grow in humanity and justice.”
While acknowledging that peace is a journey, Pope Francis invited all parties involved “to take steps of dialogue and to clothe themselves with understanding” for “the land of Myanmar to reach the goal of fraternal reconciliation.”
“Fighting in Myanmar against the military government that seized power three years ago has grown to the point that most say the country is now in a civil war,” he added.
