Pope: I hope Trump is looking for an off-ramp to end the war
ANDREAS SOLARO | ANDREAS SOLARO
Leaving his weekly day of rest at Castel Gandolfo on Tuesday, March 31, Pope Leo spoke with journalists who had gathered, urging a search for peace in the midst of this holiest of week of the year for Christians.
Asked (in English) if he had a message for world leaders about the war, Pope Leo answered directly:
I'm told that President Trump recently stated that he would like to end the war. Hopefully he's looking for an 'off-ramp.' Hopefully he's looking for a way to decrease the amount of violence, of bombing, which would be a significant contribution to removing the hatred that's being created and that's increasing constantly -- in the Middle East and elsewhere. So I would certainly continue to give this call to all leaders of the world to say, come back to the table of dialogue. Let's look for solutions to problems, let's look for ways to reduce the amount of violence that we're promoting, that peace -- especially at Easter -- might reign in our hearts.
Beforehand, speaking in Italian, the Pope spoke about Holy Week as a special time of peace, suggesting Easter as a time for truce.
According to Vatican News, it “should be the holiest, most sacred time of the year," he said. "It is a time of peace, a time for much reflection, but as we all know, once again in the world, in so many places, we are seeing so much suffering, so many deaths -- even innocent children.”
Despite "continuous appeals for peace," the Pope lamented, "unfortunately many people want to promote hatred and violence, war.”
He urged everyone, “especially Christians,” to “live these days recognizing that Christ is still crucified today, that Christ still suffers today in the innocent, especially those who are suffering from violence, hatred, and war.”
“Let us pray for them, for the victims of war, let us pray that there may truly be a new, renewed peace, which can give new life to all."
In response to another question, he also expressed his hope for an Easter truce.
Carrying Christ's cross
Earlier in the day, it was reported that the Pope would carry the cross himself during the traditional Via Crucis on Good Friday at the Colosseum. Asked about this decision, he spoke of it as "an important sign because of what the pope represents: a spiritual leader in today’s world, a voice to say that Christ still suffers. And I carry all these sufferings in my prayers as well.”
He renewed his appeal to “all people of goodwill, to people of faith, to walk together, to walk with Christ who suffered for us, to give us salvation, and to seek to be bearers of peace ourselves.”
