VATICAN - The Pope at the Angelus: “Our world continues to be marked by violence, especially against the disciples of Christ”

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - Sunday, 26 December, Feast of the Holy Family, the Holy Father appeared at the window of his study to pray the Angelus with the faithful gathered in St Peter's Square. “Jesus was born in a stable and his first cradle was a manger, but the love of Mary and of Joseph made him feel the tenderness and beauty of being loved,” the Pope said in his Reflection. “Children need the love of father and mother. That is what gives them security and that, as they are growing, allows them to discover the meaning of life.”
After reciting the Marian prayer, Benedict XVI issued the following exhortation to pray that the Lord will grant restless humankind the gift of reconciliation and peace: “In this holy time of Christmas, the desire and the invocation of the gift of peace are made even more intensely. But our world continues to be marked by violence, especially against the disciples of Christ. I learned with great sadness the attack in a Catholic church in the Philippines, while rites were being celebrated on Christmas Day, as well as the attacks on Christian churches in Nigeria. The ground is still stained with blood in other parts of the world as in Pakistan. I wish to express my heartfelt condolences to the victims of this senseless violence, and I repeat once again my appeal to abandon the path of hatred and to find peaceful solutions to conflicts and give security and serenity to these dear people. On this day in which we celebrate the Holy Family, who lived through the dramatic experience of having to flee to Egypt because of the murderous rampage of Herod, we also remember all those - especially families - who are forced to flee their homes because of war, violence and intolerance. I invite you therefore to join me in prayer to vigorously ask the Lord to touch the hearts of men and bring hope, reconciliation and peace.” (SL) (Agenzia Fides 28/12/2010)