The Pope, originally from the USA, brought up the week's shooting during a mass in a Catholic church in Minneapolis in the USA. There, two children were killed.
In our prayers, we include the infinite number of children who are killed and injured every day around the world. Let us pray to God to stop the pandemic of weapons, large and small, that infects our world, said Leo XIV in English.
He also urged the world not to stand indifferent to what is happening in Ukraine and repeated his call for an immediate ceasefire and serious peace talks.
Among other things, he mentioned Thursday's major Russian attack on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, where at least 25 people were killed, including four children.
It is time for those who bear responsibility to distance themselves from the logic of weapons and embark on the path of negotiations and peace, with the support of the international community, said the Pope.
