Pope Francis gave a shoutout to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar at the end of his weekly audience on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Speaking to a crowd of people from around the world Nov. 23, the pope expressed his hope the international soccer competition would foster fraternity and peace.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wish to send my greetings to the players, fans and spectators who are following, from various continents, the World Cup, which is being played in Qatar,\u201d he said in St. Peter\u2019s Square.<\/p>\n
\u201cMay this important event,\u201d he continued, \u201cbe an occasion of encounter and harmony among nations, fostering fraternity and peace among peoples.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pope Francis added to his appeal for peace, asking for prayers for an end to all conflicts, especially the conflict in Ukraine.<\/p>\n
He highlighted the upcoming anniversary, Nov. 26, of Holodomor, also known as the Terror-Famine or the Great Famine, a man-made famine that took place in Soviet Ukraine from 1932 to 1933.<\/p>\n
Pope Francis praying at the general audience on St. Peter’s Square. Daniel Ib\u00e1\u00f1ez \/ CNA<\/p>\n
Francis called Holodomor a \u201cterrible genocide\u201d and an \u201cextermination by starvation,\u201d which was artificially caused by Joseph Stalin.<\/p>\n
The 2022 FIFA World Cup is being played in the State of Qatar, an emirate on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, from Nov. 20 to Dec. 18.<\/p>\n
The choice of Qatar as host country for the men\u2019s soccer tournament has been criticized due to conditions in the country, including the situation of Christians.<\/p>\n
Bishop Stefan Oster of Passau, who is the current sports commissioner of the German Bishops\u2019 Conference, said in a statement published Nov. 17 that he did not want to give soccer fans \u201ca bad conscience,\u201d even if people were \u201casking how it came about that Qatar, of all places, was chosen by FIFA as the host country 12 years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNon-Islamic religions, including Christianity, which are strongly represented among migrant workers, are granted freedom only to a limited extent,\u201d the German prelate said.<\/p>\n
Oster also said the role of women was \u201cset back\u201d and sexual minorities were prosecuted.<\/p>\n
Denne artikel blev oprindeligt udgivet af EWTN News English.<\/p>\n