Pope Francis has urged t political leaders in the United States to maintain a high sense of responsibility in order to calm their citizens, promote national reconciliation, and protect the democratic values rooted in American society.
Pope Francis who spoke publicly for the first time about the assault on the U.S. Capitol, last Sunday after reciting the Angelus from the private library of the apostolic palace, where he has previously met with U.S. Presidents – Barack Obama and Donald J. Trump, Pope Francis began by saying, “I extend an affectionate greeting to the people of the United States of America, shaken by the recent siege of the Congress.”
He prayed for the five people who lost their lives “in those dramatic moments.” Speaking on the assault, Pope Francis said: “I restate that violence is always self-destructive. Nothing is gained by violence, and much is lost.” He then went on to appeal to those in positions of authority in the United States to exercise responsibility at this delicate moment in the history of the country.
He concluded his statement by invoking the assistance of “the Immaculate Virgin, the patroness of the United States of America, that she may help them to keep alive the culture of encounter, the culture of care, as the way to build together the common good.”