Pope: Fading memories of World War II spark fears of conflict

[New Sancai Compilation First Edition] Pope Francis said in comments commemorating the 80th anniversary of the 1944 Normandy landings on June 5 that the horrors of World War II are being forgotten, thereby increasing the risk of new global conflicts. .

The Allied counterattack on Nazi-occupied France was a turning point in World War II, and Francis said the brutal lessons of the past have made future generations determined to avoid any new large-scale fighting.

"I note with regret that this is no longer the case and that people have short memories," the pope said in a written message, adding that he hoped the D-Day commemorations would help rekindle people's desire for peace. .

"People want peace. They want stable, secure and prosperous conditions in which everyone can carry out his duties and destiny in peace. To destroy this noble order for the sake of ideology, nationalism or economic ambition is a disgrace to humanity and A serious mistake in history, a sin in human history.”

As the D-Day anniversary approaches, Ukraine continues to defend its territory against Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbor in 2022.

Francis made no mention of the conflict or the eight-month-long war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, but said compromise was sometimes needed to end wars.

"Wanting peace is not cowardice. On the contrary, it requires the greatest courage, the courage to know how to give up something," he said.

Francis sparked outrage in Kiev in March when he was quoted as saying Ukraine should have what he called "white flag" courage and negotiate an end to the war with Russia.

The Vatican said at the time that it took note of the interviewer's use of the word and used it to express the need for "the courage to achieve a truce through negotiation."

(Compiled by: Wang Jimin)

(Editor: Jiang Qiming)

(Source of the article: Compiled and published by New Sancai)