Pope Francis Registers for World Youth Day - Inviting You to do the Same and Announces Special Prayer for Peace at the Colosseum

 After the Angelus on Sunday, October 23rd, Pope Francis gave a special message:

Dear brothers and sisters!
World Mission Day is celebrated today, which has as its theme "You will be witnesses of me". It is an important occasion to awaken in all the baptized the desire to participate in the universal mission of the Church, through witness and the proclamation of the Gospel. I encourage everyone to support the missionaries with prayer and concrete solidarity, so that they can continue the work of evangelization and human promotion throughout the world.
Registration opens today for the World Youth Day which will take place in Lisbon in August 2023. I invited two young Portuguese to be here with me while I also register as a pilgrim. I'll do it now… (click on the tablet). Here, I signed up. You, have you signed up? Do it ... And you signed up? Do it ... Here, stay here. Dear young people, I invite you to join this meeting in which, after a long period of being away, we will rediscover the joy of the fraternal embrace between peoples and generations, which we so much need!
Yesterday, in Madrid, Vincenzo Nicasio Renuncio Toribio and eleven companions of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer were beatified, killed in hatred of the faith in 1936, in Spain. The example of these witnesses of Christ, even to the shedding of blood, push us to be consistent and courageous; their intercession sustain those who are struggling today to sow the Gospel in the world. A round of applause to the new Blesseds!
With trepidation I am following the persistent conflict situation in Ethiopia. Once again I repeat with heartfelt that violence does not resolve discords, but only increases their tragic consequences. I appeal to those who have political responsibilities, so that the suffering of the defenseless population ceases and that equitable solutions are found for lasting peace throughout the country. May the efforts of the parties for dialogue and the search for the common good lead to a concrete path of reconciliation. May the Ethiopian brothers and sisters, so severely tried, not lack our prayers, our solidarity and the necessary humanitarian aid.
I am saddened by the floods which are affecting various African countries and which have caused death and destruction. I pray for the victims and I am close to the millions of displaced people, and I look forward to a greater joint effort to prevent these calamities.
And I greet all of you, Romans and pilgrims from various countries. In particular, I greet the Indonesian clerics and religious residing in Rome; the Peruvian community that celebrates the feast of the Señor de los Milagros; the Centro Academico Romano Fundación and the group of the Polish diocese of Tarnow. I greet the faithful of San Donà di Piave, Padua, Pontedera and Molfetta; the confirmation boys from Piacenza, the “Tiberiade” group from Carrobbio degli Angeli and the Nonviolent Movement of Verona. And today, at the beginning of a new government, we pray for the unity and peace of Italy.
The day after tomorrow, Tuesday 25 October, I will go to the Colosseum to pray for peace in Ukraine and in the world, together with the representatives of the Christian Churches and Communities and of world religions, gathered in Rome for the meeting "The cry of peace". I invite you to join spiritually in this great invocation to God: prayer is the power of peace. Let us pray, let us continue to pray for Ukraine so tormented.
I wish everyone a good Sunday. Please don't forget to pray for me. Have a good lunch and goodbye!