Pope says the world seems to be heading towards 'a war stronger than before'
Pope Francis delivered one of his most moving anti-war speeches on Thursday, stating during a visit to a U.S. military cemetery that the world seems to be heading towards war, perhaps even more strongly than before. The Pope celebrated Mass for thousands at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery in the city of Nettuno, south of the Italian capital, on All Souls' Day.
ROME (Reuters) - Pope Francis delivered one of his most emotionally charged anti-war speeches on Thursday, saying during a visit to a U.S. military cemetery that the world seems to be heading towards war, perhaps even more strongly than before.
The Pope celebrated Mass for thousands of people at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery in the city of Nettuno, south of the Italian capital, on All Souls' Day.
The cemetery is the final resting place of 7.860 American soldiers who died liberating southern Italy and Rome in 1943 and 1944.
He walked slowly and alone among the rows of tombstones shaped like crosses and Stars of David, gently placing a white rose on about a dozen of them and pausing to pray silently before saying Mass.
"Please Lord, stop. No more wars. No more of these pointless massacres," he said in an impromptu homily.
Pope Francis stated that remembering the many young people who died in World War II is even more important "today when the world is once again at war and preparing to go to war even more vigorously."
He didn't give details, but apparently he was referring to the possibility of nuclear war.