Pope Francis warns warmongers: the only fruit of war
is death
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis celebrated the Feast
of All Souls Day on Thursday commemorating all those who have died in
war, reminding humanity not to forget past lessons and warning that the only
fruit yielded by conflict is death.
His words of warning and his powerful condemnation of
warmongers came during his homily at the Sicily-Rome American War
Cemetery some 50 kilometers south of Rome.
Taking the occasion to reiterate his deep conviction that
“wars produce nothing more than cemeteries and death” the Pope said he chose to
visit a war cemetery as a sign “in a moment when our humanity seems not to have
learned the lesson, or doesn't want to learn it.”
The Nettuno US War Cemetery and Memorial is the final
resting place for thousands of men who died during military operations carried
out to liberate Italy – from Sicily to Rome – from Nazi Germany.
Its chapel contains a list of the 3095 missing.
Pope Francis arrived at the War Cemetery early in the
afternoon so that he could spend time reflecting and paying his personal
respects to the 7,860 – mostly young – soldiers who gave their lives in the
name of freedom and respect for humanity.
Walking in poignant silence between the rows and rows of
tombstones, Pope Francis bowed to read some of the names and dates inscribed in
the white marble: stark reminders of the fact – as he stated during his homily
– that the only fruit of war is death.
Please God: no more war
To the somber congregation gathered on this holy day to
honour all those who have died, Pope Francis said he chose to come to a place
where thousands died in bloody combat, to appeal to the Lord – yet again
“Please God: stop them. No more war. No more useless carnage.”
The Pope delivered his off-the-cuff homily with an emotion
charged by the dramatic setting provided by hundreds of thousands of graves of
young men whose hopes – he said - were cruelly severed, at a time in which the
world is again at war and is even preparing to step-up war.
“Please God – he prayed – everything is lost with war”
There are men today who are doing everything to declare
war and step up conflict
“There are men, Francis said, who are doing everything to
declare war and to enter into conflict. They end up destroying themselves and
everything.”
Remarking on the fact that today is a day of hope, but also
of tears, he said that the tears wept by those who have lost husbands, sons and
friends at war should never be forgotten.
Humanity does not seem to want to learn the lesson
“But humanity, the Pope continued, has not learnt the lesson
and seems not to want to learn the lesson”.
Let us pray, he said, in a special way for all those young
people caught up in conflict, “many of whom are dying every day in this
piecemeal war”.
And he remembered the thousands of innocent children who are
also paying the price of war.
“Let us ask the Lord, Pope Francis concluded, to give us the
grace to weep”.
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