Pope: Let‘s pray for peace that is never obtained with weapons

By Linda Bordoni

Pope Francis has again appealed for peace, entrusting his prayers to Our Lady.

"Spiritually kneeling before the Virgin, I entrust to her the ardent desire for peace of so many people, who in various parts of the world, suffer the senseless disaster of war,“ he said.

The Pope was speaking to men and women of goodwill during his remarks after the Regina Coeli prayer in St. Peter‘s Square at noon.

Noting that at this very hour, many faithful gather around the venerated image of Mary in the Shrine of Pompeii, to address to her the Supplication that flowed from the heart of the Blessed Bartolo Longo, he said he too kneels before the Virgin in supplication for the gift of peace.

"To the Blessed Virgin,“ the Pope said, "I present in particular the sufferings and tears of the Ukrainian people.“

And, he continued asking for prayers for the leaders of nations:

Buying weapons is not the solution to any conflict

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February, Pope Francis has repeatedly appealed for a diplomatic solution to the war.

Speaking during the General Audience on 23 March he remarked on how the war in Ukraine shows that humanity had to shed a strange instinct for "self-destruction" and that buying more weapons was not the ultimate solution to any conflict.

Asking believers to remember all the victims of the war - the dead, including "fallen soldiers on one side or the other", the wounded, homeless and refugees, the Pope said:  "May the Lord send his spirit to make us understand that war is a defeat of humanity."