Pope Francis has invoked for the people of Iraq, peace from God. he urged faithful to pray for thie Middle Eastern nation, hit by such tragedy, and most recently by great unrest, after reciting the midday Angelus prayer with those gathered in St. Peter’s Square today, Dec. 1, 2019, the first Sunday of Advent.
The Holy Father’s remarks came as he lamented: “I am following the situation in Iraq with concern.”
“I learned with grief that the protests in recent days have received a harsh reaction, which has caused dozens of victims.”
“I pray for the dead and the wounded,” Pope Francis noted, expressing: “I am close to their families and to the entire Iraqi people, invoking peace and concord from God.”
The Holy Father has expressed his desire to visit Iraq in 2020. The Vatican, along with the Church in Iraq, have been working to organize the trip, presuming conditions still permit it.
Pope Francis concluded wishing all those present in St. Peter’s Square a good Sunday, good lunch, and reminding them to pray for him.
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