Pope prays Holy Spirit may create harmony for world peace

By Vatican News

Pope Francis renewed his ardent prayers for peace in our world and an end to all conflicts, recalling in particular the suffering in the Holy Land, in Ukraine and in the city of Kharkiv attacked two days ago.

The harmony of the Holy Spirit

After leading the recitation of the Regina Coeli prayer in St. Peter's Square, the Pope recalled that on this day, Pentecost Sunday, we remember how the Holy Spirit creates harmony from realities different, and sometimes even contradictory. He called on everyone to pray that the Holy Spirit, “the Love of the Father and the Son,” can breathe harmony into hearts, families, societies and our entire world.

Peace in our world

The Pope prayed that the Holy Spirit would strengthen communion and fraternity among Christians of different traditions, and above all that he would help the leaders of nations to have the courage to make efforts in favor of dialogue which leads to the end wars. He deplored the numerous wars that our world is experiencing today, mentioning in particular Ukraine and the city of Kharkiv which suffered an attack two days ago. The Pope prayed for peace in the Holy Land, Palestine, Israel and the many places where wars are taking place. May the Spirit lead world leaders and each of us to open doors and paths to peace, he stressed.

In conclusion, the Pope thanked the residents of the Italian city of Verona for their warm welcome and hospitality yesterday, where he made a one-day pastoral visit. He particularly recalled his visit to the inmates who, according to him, showed him once again the vitality of life, humanity and hope that exist behind the prison walls. He also greeted the different groups in Saint Peter's Square, including one from Timor-Leste, a country he is due to visit in September 2024 with Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Singapore.