Pope Francis calls for Olympic truce for warring countries and prays for peace

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis expressed his hope Sunday that the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris will provide an opportunity for countries at war to respect an ancient Greek tradition and agree to a truce for the duration of the games.

“May the Olympic Games, in accordance with ancient tradition, be an opportunity to conclude a truce in wars and demonstrate a sincere will for peace,” Francis said during his Angelus prayer in St. Peter’s Square.

The Pope stressed that sport also has “a great social power that can peacefully unite people of different cultures”.

The opening ceremony of the 33rd Olympic Games will take place on July 26 in Paris with the participation of 205 athlete delegations who will parade on the Seine on over 80 boats.

“I hope that this event can be a sign of the inclusive world we want to build and that the athletes, with their sporting witness, can be ambassadors of peace and valuable role models for young people,” Francis added.

As always, the Pope asked the faithful to pray for peace and recalled the ongoing conflicts around the world.

“Let us not forget the martyrs of Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Myanmar and many other countries in war. Let us not forget that war is defeat,” he concluded.