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A new appeal for the Iraqi people who have been victims of the “brutal acts of violence” being
committed “against innocent civilians, be they Muslims, be they Christians, be
they members of other ethnicities and religions”, was launched by the Pope at
the Angelus in Saint Peter”s Square on Sunday, 23 October. “I was distressed”,
he said, in reference to the situation in Mosul, “by the news of the numerous
sons of that beloved land, among them even many children, killed in cold blood.
This cruelty, he emphasized, “makes us weep, leaving us speechless”. The
Pontiff assured his solidarity and prayers that the people of Iraq, who are “so
harshly afflicted, may be strong and steadfast in the hope to be able to go
toward a future of security, reconciliation and peace”.
Before reciting the Marian prayer, and inspired by World Mission Sunday, which was being celebrated on Sunday, Francis recalled that “today is a time of mission and is a time of
courage”, inviting everyone to “bring the message of salvation to the entire
human family”.
