The theme this year was “Voices of peace in a world at war,” and several dicasteries of the Roman Curia formulated the prayers and meditations drawing from what Pope Francis has heard from people suffering from a lack of peace during his apostolic journeys and on other occasions.
In the spotlight: Solar eclipse, prayers for peace, Our Lord of the Miracles
The pope offered a final prayer at the end of the service, saying, “Take us by the hand, like a father, lest we stray from you. Turn our rebellious hearts to your own heart, so that we may learn to pursue plans of peace.”
The request comes during the year Pope Francis asked Catholics to dedicate to families and to a rereading of “Amoris Laetitia,” his exhortation on the family, which was published in 2016.
Recalling Jesus’ death on the cross, Pope Francis led thousands on Good Friday in reflecting on the crosses of loneliness, fear and betrayal that crucify countless men, women and children in the world.
Rome’s Colosseum, long a symbol of the persecution of early Christians, was bathed in red light late Feb. 24 as a reminder of and a prayer for the thousands of Christians being persecuted for their faith today.
A French biblical scholar not only wrote the meditations to guide Pope Francis’ 2017 celebration of the Via Crucis at Rome’s Colosseum, she also designed her own set of Bible-based Stations of the Cross.
