"In the Name of God Lay Down Your Arms!"

Pope Benedict, today from Asia News Italy:

“In the name of God, I appeal to all those responsible for this spiral of violence to immediately lay down their weapons on all sides! I ask rulers and institutional institutions not to spare any effort to attain this necessary cessation of hostilities so as to be able to build, through dialogue, a lasting and stable coexistence of all the peoples of the Middle East. I ask men of goodwill to intensify the delivery of humanitarian aid to those peoples who are so sorely tried and in so much need. But above all, let the confident prayer to God, who is good and merciful, continue to come forth from every heart so that he may concede his peace to that region and to the whole world.” He added: “I entrust this heartfelt appeal to the intercession of Mary, Mother of the Prince of Peace and Queen of Peace, so venerated in mid-eastern countries, where soon we hope to see reigning that reconciliation for which the Lord Jesus offered his precious Blood.”