World

Pope Francis leads global prayer for peace in Rome

Pope Francis yesterday led a global prayer for peace in Rome. Picture by RTE
Pope Francis yesterday led a global prayer for peace in Rome. Picture by RTE Pope Francis yesterday led a global prayer for peace in Rome. Picture by RTE

POPE Francis has led a global prayer for peace, especially in Ukraine and Russia, during a Lenten penitential service in Rome.

During the gathering at St Peter's Basilica, the Holy Father consecrated all humanity to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and said the act expressed complete trust in the Virgin Mary in the midst of the "cruel and senseless war" in Ukraine.

The Pope had invited bishops, priests and the global faithful to join him in the consecration prayer.

Speaking during the Celebration of Penance, Pope Francis reflected on forgiveness and the meaning of the Consecration.

"This is no magic formula but a spiritual act," he said.

"It is an act of complete trust on the part of children who, amid the tribulation of this cruel and senseless war that threatens our world, turn to their Mother, reposing all their fears and pain in her heart and abandoning themselves to her," he said.

The Pope also asked for forgiveness that humanity had "forgotten the lessons learned from the tragedies of the last century, the sacrifice of the millions who fell in two world wars".

Meanwhile in Ireland, the International Eucharistic and Marian Shrine in Knock joined in the global prayer for peace.

Speaking during the gathering, Archbishop of Dublin Dermot Farrell said: "The story of this island in the last 30 years is the story of people whose feet have been `guided on the way of peace'.

He said the "unwarranted war" had unveiled not only the horror of its victims "but also, and equally frightening for us, all the poverty of the aggressor".

"While, cynically proffering freedom, all that ultimately on offer is violence, gratuitous violence, and the loss that follows in its wake: not just loss of life, but loss of place, loss of dignity, loss of hope," he said.