Dear brothers and sisters,
At the start of Holy Week, we are closer than ever, through prayer, to the Christians of the Middle East, who are suffering the consequences of an atrocious conflict and who, in many cases, cannot fully experience the rites of these holy days. So even as the Church contemplates the mystery of the Lord’s Passion, we cannot forget those who, today, concretely participate in his suffering. Their suffering calls to everyone’s conscience. Let us raise our prayer to the Prince of Peace, so that he supports the peoples scarred by war and opens concrete paths of reconciliation and peace.
I also wish to entrust to the Lord the sailors who are victims of the war: I pray for the deceased, for the injured and for their loved ones. The earth, sky and sea were created for life and peace!
And let us pray for all the migrants who died at sea, especially for those who lost their lives in recent days off the island of Crete.
I greet and thank each of you, Romans and pilgrims, who took part in this celebration! Together, let us now turn to the Virgin Mary, entrusting all our supplications to her intercession. Let her guide us in these holy days, to follow with faith and love Jesus, our Savior.
