Pope Francis has asked God to ‘convert the hearts of those who sow death
and destruction’ following a series of deadly attacks by the Islamic
State group (ISIS) in Syria.
While speaking during his weekly audience in St Peter’s Square, on
Wednesday, May 25, the pontiff prayed for “eternal rest to the victims”
and “consolation to their relatives” after suicide attacks in the
regime’s coastal heartland that killed more than 150 people on Monday.Francis said almost all the victims of the seven explosions targeting
bus stations, hospitals and other civilian sites in the seaside cities
of Jableh and Tartus were “unarmed civilians”. Eight of them were
children.
“It is the duty of everyone to protect children, most of all those
exposed to a high risk of exploitation, trafficking and deviant
behaviours,” He added, “prayer is not a magic wand,” it is our daily
bread, our powerful weapon and the staff for our journey.”
“We pray in this Mass, for the victims of this cruelty – so many of them
– we pray also for the perpetrators of such cruelty, that the Lord
might change their hearts,”
On Monday, a series of seven deadly coordinated blasts targeted Syrian
cities of Tartus and Jableh killing over 150 people including children.
ISIS claimed responsibility for the attacks.
