Pope Francis condemns war as a 'crime against humanity', advocates for 'education for peace'

As he does most Sundays, Pope Francis addressed the crowds gathered in Saint Peter's Square. During the Angelus prayer, he expressed his solidarity with nations ensnared in warfare. "Let's not forget those suffering from the cruelty of war in many parts of the world, particularly in Ukraine, Palestine, and Israel," he said.

At the beginning of the year, we extend peace towards each other, but the violence continues as weapons still kill and destroy. Let's pray for those wielding power in these conflicts to understand that war is not a resolution, as it only sows death among civilians and annihilates cities and infrastructure, said Francis.

He further opined that the world desperately needs peace, asserting that war is an evil. "In other words, today, war is a crime in itself against humanity. Let's not lose sight of this," Pope Francis added.

Pope Francis stressed that nations require peace. He underscored the necessity for education for peace and raising awareness.

It is clear that as a global community, we have yet to achieve the level of education that could prevent any war. Let's persistently pray for this grace of education for peace, the Pope urged.

Pope Francis regularly readdresses the issue of war. He has frequently advocated for peace, given the continuous conflict in Ukraine. Although the leader of the Catholic Church has refrained from blaming the Russian side for instigating conflicts, this reluctance received negative coverage in the press. However, during a private audience with the bishops of the Synod of the Greek-Catholic Church in Ukraine, Pope Francis reportedly affirmed his support for Ukraine.