Pope Francis appealed to countries at war to release prisoners and offered special prayers for those who have endured torture.
At the end of his weekly general audience on 17th April, Pope Francis said that he knew “our thoughts, all of ours, go at this time to people in wars. We think of the Holy Land: Palestine, Israel. We think of Ukraine, the tormented Ukraine.”
Pope Francis also spoke about “the prisoners of war: may the Lord move the will to set them all free. And speaking of prisoners, those who are tortured come to mind,” he said.
“The torture of prisoners is a very terrible thing; it is inhuman” and an attack on human dignity. Pope Francis did not mention a specific country when talking about torture.
Picture: Pope Francis greets a group of Ukrainians at the end of his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, 17th April 2024. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)