Pope Francis calls for Olympic truce at Vatican gathering

On Sunday (July 21), Pope Francis held a meeting for the Angelus prayer in Vatican City. During this time, he decided to appeal for a ceasefire, at least during the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, which are about to begin.

The anticipation and countdown are slowly coming to an end. This Friday, July 26, the official opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris will take place. The next day, the first athletes will begin competing for medals in the capital of France.

For some, it's the perfect opportunity to show the world what's happening in their country. After all, the war in Ukraine, started by Russia in February 2022, is still ongoing. There is also the bloody conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Because of this, Pope Francis decided to appeal for an Olympic truce on Sunday (July 21) when he appeared at the Angelus prayer meeting in Vatican City.

- Sport has a great social strength, capable of peacefully uniting people of different cultures. I hope that this event can be a sign of the inclusive world that we want to build and that the athletes, with their sporting testimony, be messengers of peace and effective models for young people in particular - the clergyman's words echoed.

- According to the ancient tradition, the Olympics are an occasion to establish a truce in wars, demonstrating a sincere desire for peace - he added.

The upcoming Olympic Games will be the first to take place during the war in Ukraine and following the significantly intensified conflict between Israel and Hamas. Therefore, it remains uncertain what the situation regarding these issues will be like during the competitions in Paris.