According to the Pope, the Olympics can be an opportunity for blood enemies to conclude a truce.
Pope Francis hopes that blood enemies will lay down their weapons by the time of the Paris Olympics.
The Pope gave his weekly speech on Sunday in Pietarinaukio. In his speech, he mentioned the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the war in Gaza and the conflict in Myanmar.
– According to the age-old tradition, the Olympics are an opportunity for the parties to the conflict to conclude a truce and show a sincere desire for peace, Franciscus said.
In ancient Greece it was customary to declare a truce during the Olympics. The city of Olympia was considered a holy place, and neither it nor Elis as a whole could be attacked during the Olympics.
The Pope also urged athletes to act as messengers of peace and role models for young people.
The Paris Olympics begin next Friday, July 26, with the opening ceremony on the River Seine. More than 10,000 athletes and representatives from more than a hundred countries and governments will participate in the opening ceremony.
The countries of the G7 group also hope for peace during the sports event.
In June, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and the United States issued a joint statement calling for a truce for the duration of the Olympics.
Source: Reuters