VATICAN (Sputnik) — Pope Francis called on Thursday for the end of bloody conflicts in the Middle East, in particular, in Iraq and Syria.
"We are deeply saddened by what is still going on in the Middle East, particularly in Iraq and Syria. The terrible violence of bloody conflicts, which no reason can justify or allow, is poured down on hundreds of thousands of innocent children, women and men there. There, our Christian brothers and sisters and several religious and ethnic minorities, unfortunately, got used to suffering great trials on a daily basis," the pontiff said, while meeting with Catholicos-Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East Mar Gewargis III.
Pope Francis added that together with his distinguished guest he would pray for peace to be granted to this ravaged land.