Pope Francis prays for those
suffering in Yemen and Ukraine
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| Yemenis at a graveyard in Sana'a(ANSA) |
Pope Francis expresses his closeness and prayers for the
people of war-torn Yemen and for those affected by flooding in western Ukraine.
By Devin Watkins
Following the Angelus prayer on Sunday, Pope Francis invited
everyone to pray for the people of Yemen and Ukraine.
“I invite you to pray for the people of Yemen, especially
for children, who are suffering due to the serious humanitarian crisis,” he
said.
Malnourished Yemeni children
Yemen continues to be rocked by a 5-year-long civil war.
The UN’s children’s agency warned Friday that millions of
children could face starvation as the Covid-19 pandemic takes hold in the
country.
UNICEF released a new report, entitled “Yemen five years on: Children, conflict and Covid-19”,
which said the number of malnourished Yemeni children could reach 2.4 million
by year end.
That would represent a 20 percent increase over the current
figure.
“Devastating food and cholera crises emerged during the
conflict; while violence persistently blights lives, with more than 35
frontlines still active across the country,” the report read. “The nation’s
health services are on the verge of collapse and the economy has been ravaged.”
UNICEF said the arrival of Covid-19 adds another layer on
the emergency in Yemen.
Flooding in Ukraine
Pope Francis also appealed for prayers for people in western
Ukraine, which has seen torrential rains and flooding.
“May they experience the Lord’s comfort and the care of
their brothers and sisters,” he prayed.
At least 3 people have died in the flooding, and hundreds
have been forced from their homes. Several villages have been cut off from
surrounding areas.
Prime Minister Denys Shmygal toured the region earlier this
week.
“The situation in five regions is critical. The
Ivano-Frankivsk region suffered most,” he said. “The last such flood was in
2008.”
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