Vatican: Bambinelli Blessing, prayers for victims of war and terror attacks

Bambinelli in a crib

Source: Vatican News

Pope Francis welcomed the children of Rome for the traditional 'Bambinelli Blessing' in St Peter's Square on Sunday On this day, the Third Sunday of Advent, Roman boys and girls bring the Baby Jesus from their Nativity sets to Saint Peter's Square to be blessed by the Pope.

Thousands of children, clutching their Bambinellis listened as the Holy Father thanked them for coming, and wished them a happy Christmas. He asked them to remember to pray for him when they said their prayers before their Christmas cribs, and assured them that he prayed for them, too. "Prayer is the breath of the soul," he said. " It is important to find moments throughout the day to open the heart to God, even with the short and simple prayers of the Christian people."

During the Angelus Pope Francis also appealed for prayers for Alleppo. "We must not forget that Aleppo is a city in which there are people: Families, children, the elderly, sick people ... Unfortunately, we have become accustomed to war, to destruction; but we must not forget Syria is a country full of histor , culture and faith," the Pope said.

"We cannot accept that this is negated by war, which is a pile of abuses and falsehoods. I make an appeal for the commitment of everyone, because we face a choice of civilisation: No to destruction, Yes to peace, Yes to the people of Aleppo and Syria."

Pope Francis also prayed for the victims of the latest terror attacks in Somalia, Egypt and Turkey. He said: "I would like to express a special closeness to my dear brother Pope Tawadros II [the head of the Coptic Church] and to his community, and I am praying for the dead and the wounded."

Source: Vatican Radio