Pope Leo called on Catholics and other religious faithful to observe a day of fasting and prayers for peace in Ukraine and other war-torn countries on Friday, August 22, Reuters reports.
The pontiff was addressing his weekly audience in the Vatican on Wednesday, to a packed audience.
The pope suggested the faithful could ask God to “grant us peace and justice and to wipe away the tears of those who suffer because of the ongoing armed conflicts.”
Leo, the first U.S. pope, was elected by the world’s Catholic cardinals on May 8 to replace the late Pope Francis.
He has made several appeals to end the war in Ukraine during the first months of his papacy, and his first known phone call with a foreign leader in May was to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who the pope also met in person in July.
Catholics have a practice of fasting on or before important spiritual holidays as a way of coming closer to God in prayer.
