Peace cannot be established without disarmament and self-defense must not lead to an arms race, Pope Francis said in his Easter Urbi et Orbi message, APA reports citing TASS.
The 88-year-olf pontiff, who continues his recovery from bilateral pneumonia, greeted the crowds who gathered in St. Peter’s Square from the loggia of St Peter’s Basilica, a TASS correspondent reported. However, the text of his message was read out by Archbishop Diego Ravelli, the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations.
"There can be no peace without freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression, and respect for the views of others. No peace is possible without true disarmament," he said in his message, adding that a people’s need for self-defense cannot turn into an arms race.
"In the face of the cruelty of conflicts that involve defenseless civilians and attack schools, hospitals and humanitarian workers, we cannot allow ourselves to forget that it is not targets that are struck, but persons, each possessed of a soul and human dignity," the message said.
He called for peace in the Holy Land and across the entire Middle East. He also called for extending prayers for Christian communities in Lebanon and Syria, and called for peace in Ukraine. "May all involved continue efforts toward a just and lasting peace" in Ukraine, he said. He also prayed for a final peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Apart from that, he mentioned the Balkans, where the leaders must ease tensions and prevent crises, as well as the situation in African countries (the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, and the Sahel region), Yemen, and Myanmar.
Source: en.apa.az
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