ReligionPope Francispope newspope-francis-syria

Pope Francis Tweets For Peace In Syria With Hashtag #Prayforpeace

@Pontifex Asks Twitter To #Prayforpeace
Open Image Modal
Pope Francis celebrates a Mass in the main square of the village of Castelgandolfo, the pontiffs' summer residence in the hills overlooking Rome, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2013. Pope Francis says he is praying for those killed and wounded in the clashes in Egypt between police and supporters of that country's ousted president. Francis said "painful news is coming from Egypt." He said at the end of a Mass he celebrated Thursday in the main square in Castel Gandolfo, where the Vatican has a summer retreat villa, that he wanted to assure his prayers to the victims, their families, the wounded and all those suffering in Egypt. He urged prayers for "peace, dialogue and reconciliation for that dear land." (AP Photo/Alessandro Bianchi, Pool)

Pope Francis has not held back from expressing his vehement opposition to a military strike on Syria, tweeting almost exclusively about peace since September 1st from his @Pontifex handle. While decrying the use of chemical weapons, he has also urged "With all my strength, I ask each party in the conflict not to close themselves in solely on their own interests. #prayforpeace."

The pope's Sunday appearance in St. Peter's Square last week departed from traditional religious themes as the pontiff spoke earnestly about Syria to the crowd. "With utmost firmness, I condemn the use of chemical weapons. I tell you that those terrible images from recent days are burned into my mind and heart," he said. He has called for a worldwide day of prayer and fasting for peace on September 7th.

Take a look at his passionate tweets for peace here:

Our 2024 Coverage Needs You

As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.

Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.

to keep our news free for all.

Support HuffPost
Suggest a correction
|
Submit a tip