The Pope asks to pray for the Syrians and the Chinese

Last updated: Thu 31 Mar 2022 PM

At the end of the general audience on Wednesday 12 February, Pope Francis renewed his call to pray for Syria, before drawing the attention of the faithful to the people of China affected by the coronavirus.

"I would like all of us to pray for the beloved and martyred Syria at this time. So many families, so many elderly people and children have to flee the war. Syria has been bleeding for years. Let us pray for Syria". This was the appeal made by the Holy Father in Paul VI Hall on Wednesday morning before the pilgrims who had come to listen to his catechesis.

Praying for peace in Syria

A prayer showing once more the Holy Father's concern for the people of the country, three days after another call from the windows of the Apostolic Palace. On February 9, at the end of the Angelus prayer, Pope Francis spoke of the ongoing military escalation in Idleb, a province in northwestern Syria, where the intensification of fighting between the Syrian army and jihadist and rebel groups is having a serious impact on the civilian population. The Supreme Pontiff had called on the parties concerned and the international community to do everything possible to protect them. He then invited the crowd of pilgrims to pray a Hail Mary for this purpose.

A disease "so cruel"

Also at the end of the weekly general audience, Francis also asked for "a prayer for our Chinese brothers who suffer from this cruel disease", in reference to the "COVID-19" virus - the now official name given by the WHO yesterday - which has caused 1100 deaths in mainland China (excluding Hong Kong and Macao) since 11 January last. More than 44,200 people have been contaminated throughout the country, according to government figures.

Outside China, the virus has killed two people (one in the Philippines and one in Hong Kong) and more than 400 cases have been confirmed in some 30 countries and territories.

"If we invest now (...) we have a realistic chance of stopping this epidemic," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Tuesday at a press conference in Geneva, where the UN agency is headquartered.

(Vatican News with AFP)

Source: Vatican News