In his New Year’s message this Saturday (1), Pope Francis made one of his strongest calls for an end to violence against women, saying it was an insult to God.
Francis, 85, celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on the day the Roman Catholic Church commemorates the Solemnity of Saint Mary, Mother of God, as well as its annual World Day of Peace.
The pope appeared to be in good shape after an incident on New Year’s Eve when he attended a church service, but at the last minute he failed to preside as expected.
At the beginning of Mass this Saturday, he walked the entire length of the central aisle of the basilica, unlike Friday night, when he came out through a side entrance near the altar and watched the ceremony from there.
Francisco has pain in his legs because of sciatic nerve problems and is sometimes unable to stand for long periods of time.
In his New Year’s homily, he said that it is women “who hold the threads of life.” “Since mothers give life and women keep the world (united), let’s make more effort to promote mothers and protect women,” he preached.
“How much violence is directed at women! Enough! To hurt a woman is to insult God, who from a woman took our humanity – not through an angel, not directly, but through a woman,” he said, referring to to Mary, the mother of Jesus.
During an Italian TV show last month, Francisco told a woman who had been beaten by her ex-husband that men who commit violence against women engage in something that is “almost satanic.”
Since the Covid-19 pandemic began nearly two years ago, Francisco has repeatedly preached against domestic violence, which has risen in many countries since confinement left women trapped with their abusers.
Public participation in Mass was lower than in some previous years because of pandemic restrictions. Italy, which surrounds Vatican City, reported a record of 144,243 coronavirus cases on Friday and recently imposed new measures, such as a requirement to wear masks outdoors.
In the text of his Message for the World Day of Peace, released last month, Francisco said that nations should divert money spent on armaments to invest in education and lamented the rising military costs at the expense of social services.
The annual peace message is sent to heads of state and international organizations, and the pope gives a signed copy to leaders who make official visits to him at the Vatican throughout the year.
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