VATICAN - Easter 2015: "Our brothers and sisters are persecuted, exiled, killed and beheaded simply because they are Christians, they are our martyrs of today"

Wednesday, 8 April 2015

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - "We ask Jesus, the Victor over death, to lighten the sufferings of our many brothers and sisters who are persecuted for His name, and of all those who suffer injustice as a result of ongoing conflicts and violence. There are so many!" In his Urbi et Orbi Blessing on Easter Sunday, April 5, from the balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica Pope Francis recalled once again the "brothers and sisters who are persecuted" just because Christians. He had already mentioned them at the end of the Way of the Cross on Good Friday at the Colosseum, with these words: "In your, Divine Love, we see our brothers and sisters who are still being persecuted, decapitated and crucified for their faith in You, before our very eyes and often with our complicit silence". On Easter Monday the Pope encouraged peaceful initiatives and took the presence in St. Peter’s Square of a delegation from the Shalom Movement as an opportunity to give impetus to his appeal. The delegation "was completing the last leg of a solidarity relay to spread awareness about the persecution of Christians around the world" and said: "Your itinerary through the streets has come to and end, but everyone must continue the spiritual path of intense prayer, help those in the world who are persecuted, exiled, killed and beheaded simply because they are Christians. They are our martyrs of today and there are many of them, we can say that there are more of them now than there were in other times. I hope that the International Community will not stand by, silent and inert, as we witness this unacceptable crime, which represents a worrying violation of the most basic human rights. I earnestly hope that the International Community will not turn a blind eye". (SL) (Agenzia Fides 08/04/2015)


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