Speaking before tens of thousands of jubilant pilgrims on Sunday, September 14, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Pope Francis enjoined the faithful to pray for all persecuted Christians around the world. A busier Sunday than usual for His Holiness, Pope Francis had earlier presided over the nuptial Mass of twenty couples in St. Peter’s Basilica. While not specifically mentioning ISIS (the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria), the Pope nevertheless repeatedly touched on the theme of Christians being “persecuted and killed because of their faith”. Here is an excerpt of the Pope’s Angelus address:
While we contemplate and celebrate the Holy Cross, we think of so many of our brothers and sisters who are being persecuted and killed because of their faith in Christ. This happens especially where religious liberty is still not guaranteed or fully realized. It happens, however, even in countries which, in principle, protect freedom and human rights, but where in practice believers, and especially Christians, encounter restrictions and discrimination.
The Pope also used his Angelus address to highlight the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Central African Republic. The United Nations recently started a mission in that country in order to seek ways to restore peace and prevent further loss of life. Pope Francis continued
While I assure the commitment and prayers of the Catholic Church, I encourage the efforts of the international community, which is coming to the aid of Central Africans of good will.
Returning to the theme of the feast day of the Holy Cross, Pope Francis observed that “some non-Christian person might ask: “why “exalt” the Cross?”. We can say that we do not exalt just any cross or all crosses; we exalt the Cross of Jesus, because through it God’s love for humanity was most revealed.”
The Pope concluded his remarks by warning of war as a kind of evil “madness”, and enjoining all to remember that, through the Cross, Christ defeated all evil. These are sobering words in these times of seemingly endless warfare and slaughter, especially slaughter being perpetrated in God’s name in the Middle East and Africa. As ISIS has become the richest terrorist organization in history and shows no sign of abetting its atrocities, Pope Francis’ words are indeed encouraging, and stand in contrast to political leaders’ lack of resolve to combat and destroy the brutal militant group.
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