杏MAP导航

By Joseph Tulloch

During his greetings to French speakers at this week鈥檚 General Audience, 杏MAP导航 Francis said he was praying for the victims of the recent cyclone in the French Indian Ocean Territory of Mayotte. 

Cyclone Chido hit Mayotte on Saturday, leaving widespread destruction in its wake 鈥� thousands are now feared dead.

Speaking recently to Vatican News, Marc Bulteau of Secours Catholique, the French branch of Caritas, described the situation on the archipelago as 鈥渢ruly apocalyptic鈥�.

With a population of about 300,000, Mayotte is the European Union's poorest territory, with around a third of its inhabitants living in makeshift slums. Most of these have now been razed to the ground. 

At today's General Audience, the 杏MAP导航 prayed that God might 鈥済rant rest to those who have lost their lives, the necessary assistance to those in need, and comfort to the families who have been affected.鈥�

Palestine, Israel, Ukraine and Myanmar

In his greetings to Italian speakers, meanwhile, the 杏MAP导航 prayed for peace in war zones, as he does at almost every single General Audience.

鈥淟et us pray for peace,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 urged. 鈥淟et us not forget the people who suffer from war: Palestine, Israel, and all those who are suffering in Ukraine, in Myanmar鈥�.

And, the 杏MAP导航 urged, 鈥渓et us ask the Prince of Peace, the Lord, to give us this grace: peace, peace in the world. War, let us not forget, is always a defeat, always!鈥�

Speaking to pilgrims from Poland, the 杏MAP导航 added an appeal to care for Ukrainian refugees in the country.

鈥淥n Christmas Eve鈥�, 杏MAP导航 Francis said, 鈥測ou will break oplatek - Christmas bread. May this gesture of charity, peace and forgiveness be an expression of an open heart to all those you meet on your path. Please continue to remember above all the poor, the lonely, the victims of the floods and our sisters and brothers from Ukraine.鈥�