Pope calls for peace education at New Year’s mass

Pope Benedict said in his New Year’s address on Sunday that humanity faces a decisive challenge to educate new generations in justice and peace in order to avoid the violent tragedies of the past.

The 84-year-old pope, marking the seventh Christmas and New Year holiday season of his pontificate, celebrated a solemn mass for several thousand people in St Peter’s Basilica on the day the Roman Catholic Church marks its annual World Day of Peace.

The theme of the day this year is “Educating Young People in Justice and Peace,” which the pope said is a task for every generation following the tragedies of two world wars in the 20th century and other conflicts since.

The pope, half way through a series of official holiday engagements, appeared to be holding up well.

As has become customary at papal events since October, the pope, who is believed to be suffering from arthritis in the legs, was wheeled up the central aisle of St Peter’s Basilica standing on a mobile platform.

The Vatican says it is to conserve his strength, allow more people to see him and guard against attacks such as one on Christmas Eve, 2009, when a woman lunged at him and knocked him to the ground.After the mass, the pope appeared at his window overlooking St. Peter’s Square to deliver his Sunday noon message. He called for reconciliation and forgiveness in conflict areas.

“As today marks the World Day of Peace, I invite all of you to join me in praying earnestly for peace throughout the world, for reconciliation and forgiveness in areas of conflict, and for a more just and equitable distribution of the world’s resources,” the pope said.

On Friday, feast of the Epiphany, Benedict will lead a ceremony to consecrate new bishops in St Peter’s Basilica and wraps up holiday engagements on Sunday when he baptizes newborns in the Sistine Chapel.

His official message for the World Day of Peace, which was issued last month, is sent to world leaders  and international institutions such as the United Nations.

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