Italian President Sergio Mattarella
on Tuesday hailed Pope Francis's efforts for peace in a message
for the Argentine pontiff's saint's day.
April 23 is Saint George's Day and the pope was born Jorge
(George) Mario Bergoglio.
"In the dramatic context of an international situation marked by
violence, conflict and the urge to retaliate, particularly in
the Middle East, your appeals to safeguard the essential bonds
of brotherhood are appropriate and urgent," Mattarella said.
"Appeals that never stop probing the consciences of millions of
women and men on every continent and that form fertile seeds of
justice and peace for believers and non-believers alike".
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