Pope’s tribute to those killed for faith
Print Edition
POPE Francis led the world’s Roman Catholics in Palm Sunday celebrations by paying tribute to those killed for their faith, a reference to the victims of Islamic State militants.
Francis, who earlier this month began the third year of his papacy, presided at a colorful procession in St Peter’s Square commemorating the day the Bible says people of Jerusalem welcomed Jesus days before he was crucified.
Thousands of people, including the 78-year-old Argentine pope and prelates, carried palm fronds and branches in St Peter’s Square on the day that marks the start of Holy Week, which ends on Easter Sunday.
In his homily during the Mass that followed, Francis, who last month denounced the killing of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians by Islamic State militants in Libya, paid tribute to those he said were being killed for their faith today.
“We think too of the humiliation endured by all those who, for their lives of fidelity to the Gospel, encounter discrimination and pay a personal price,” he said, speaking in Italian.
“We think too of our brothers and sisters who are persecuted because they are Christians, the martyrs of our own time. There are many of them. They refuse to deny Jesus and endure insult and injury with dignity,” he said.
Francis has expressed alarm at the rise of Islamic State militants and the plight of Christians in the Middle East.
He has said the international community would be justified in using military force as a last resort.
The coming week is one of the busiest in the liturgical calendar for the leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics.
On Holy Thursday, he presides at two services, including one at a Rome prison where he will wash and kiss the feet of inmates to commemorate Christ’s gesture of humility toward his apostles on the night before he died.
He presides at two Good Friday services, including a Way of the Cross procession around the Colosseum. After celebrating Easter Eve and Easter Day Masses he delivers his “Urbi et Orbi” (to the city and the world) message.
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