Vatican - "Migrants and refugees: men and women in search of peace": World Day of Peace 2018

02 January 2018

(ANS - Vatican City) - World Day of Peace 2018,  a 51-year initiative of courage and prophecy of the Catholic Church. Established by Paul VI with a message dated 8 December 1967, it was first celebrated on 1 January 1968. Since then, the Pope sends a message to the heads of nations and to all men of good that calls for reflection on the theme of peace, disarmament, justice and development.

Pope Francis has issued his fifth Message, prior messages being: 1. "Fraternity, foundation and path to peace" (2014); 2. No longer slaves but brothers (2015); 3. "Win indifference and conquer peace" (2016); 4. "Nonviolence: style of politics for peace" (2017); and 5. "Migrants and refugees: men and women in search of peace" (2018).

Pope Francis' best wishes for peace: "Peace to all people and to all the nations on earth! A profound aspiration for everyone, for each individual and all peoples, and especially for those who most keenly suffer its absence."

Among these whom I constantly keep in my thoughts and prayers, I would once again mention the over 250 million migrants worldwide, of whom 22.5 million are refugees. Pope Benedict XVI, my beloved predecessor, spoke of them as “men and women, children, young and elderly people, who are searching for somewhere to live in peace.”[2] In order to find that peace, they are willing to risk their lives on a journey that is often long and perilous, to endure hardships and suffering, and to encounter fences and walls built to keep them far from their goal.

The full text of the 2018 World Day of Peace is available at: https://w2.vatican.va

 

 

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