Pope asks young people to be messengers of peace

Published: 2006-11-08

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI asked a group of young people from different religious traditions to be messengers and witnesses of peace, tolerance and dialogue. Speaking Nov. 8 during his weekly general audience, the pope offered special greetings to 90 young people from 29 countries at the end of their five-day conference on dialogue and peacemaking. The young people, representing 13 religions, had met in Assisi, Italy, at the invitation of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. Pope Benedict told the young people that the world needs prayers for peace. "Genuine prayer transforms hearts, opens us to dialogue, understanding and reconciliation," he said. "It breaks down the walls erected by violence, hatred and revenge." The pope asked the young people to return to their own religious communities "as witnesses to the spirit of Assisi, messengers of the peace which is God's gracious gift and living signs of hope for our world."

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