Thousands of faithful lined the streets of Rome Sunday, June 22, for the feast of Corpus Christi. Pope Leo carried the monstrance in procession from the Sagrato of the Basilica of St. John Lateran to St Mary Major.
Prior to the procession, mass was held on the steps of St. John Lateran. Popes have made the procession in many different ways. In 2004, John Paul II, suffering from serious health problems, traveled this route seated in the popemobile. The following year, in May 2005, Benedict XVI accompanied the procession on his knees in a white, open-top vehicle that moved slowly, surrounded by a crowd of faithful praying with candles in hand.
During the weekly Angelus address, the pontiff spoke on Iran, “Alarming news continues to arrive from the Middle East, especially from Iran.”
“In this dramatic scenario, which includes Israel and Palestine,” continued the Pope, “the daily suffering of the population—especially in Gaza and other territories—risks being forgotten, even as the need for adequate humanitarian aid becomes ever more urgent.”
“Today more than ever, humanity cries out and pleads for peace,” he said.
Pope Leo urged the international community to assume its moral responsibility and end the wars.
Social media plea for peace
Early Sunday morning, Pope Leo posted on social media a response to the Iranian conflict.
“War does not solve problems; on the contrary, it amplifies them and inflicts deep wounds on the history of peoples, which take generations to heal. No armed victory can compensate for the pain of mothers, the fear of children, or stolen futures. May diplomacy silence the weapons! May nations chart their futures with works of peace, not with violence and bloodstained conflicts!”