Dear brothers and sisters,
In this time in which the pandemic shows no signs of coming to an end, I want to assure my nearness to all those suffering from the illness and its economic and social repercussions. My thought goes out especially to the populations whose sufferings are heightened due to situations of conflict. On the basis of a recent United Nations resolution, I renew the appeal for a global and immediate cease fire that would allow the peace and safety that are indispensable in order to provide the necessary humanitarian assistance.
In particular, I am following and am concerned about the renewed armed tensions in the past few days in the Caucus region between Armenia and Azerbaijan. While I assure my prayers to the families of those who have lost their lives during the clashes, I hope that, with the dedication of the international community, and through dialogue and good will, there may be a lasting peaceful solution for the good of those beloved peoples. I extend my heartfelt greeting to you, members of the Faithful from Rome and pilgrims who are from Italy and other countries.
I wish all of you a blessed Sunday. Please, do not forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch, and arrivederci.