POPE HAILS KOREAN LEADERS ON PACT TO END WAR, PRAYS FOR PRIESTS, OTHERS KILLED IN NIGRIAN DIOCEASE

VATICAN CITY, Rome – Pope Francis today prayed for the lives of two priests, Joseph Gor and Felix Tyolaha, both reverend fathers and 16 others that were killed few days ago in Benue, Nigeria, when suspected Fulani Herdsmen invaded St Ignatius Quasi Parish, Ukpor, Mbalom in Gwer West Local Government Council of Benue.

The priests and 16 others were killed in continuation of attacks by herdsmen on communities in Benue State, Nigeria.

The Pope who also prayed that Mary would teach Christians to remain in Jesus, and to never separate themselves from his love, said “We can do nothing without him because our live is the living Christ, present in the Church and in the world.”

Quoting his new apostolic exhortation Gaudete et Exsultate, Francis stressed that “to be holy does not require being a bishop, a priest or a religious…We are all called to be holy by living our lives with love and by bearing witness in everything we do, wherever we find ourselves,” he said.

Pope Francis praised the peace agreement signed by North and South Korean leaders, President Moon Jae-in of South Korea and Kim Jong Un of North Korea to bring an end to decades of war between North and South Korea.

“I accompany with prayer the positive success of the Inter-Korean summit last Friday and the courageous commitment assumed by the leaders of the two parts to carry out a path of sincere dialogue for a Korean Peninsula free of nuclear weapons,” the pope said April 29. 

The historic deal saw , North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un crossed the military demarcation line within the Demilitarized Zone that has divided the Korean peninsula since 1953 to meet with South Korean President Moon Jae-In on southern soil. Moon Jae-in also crossed the demarcation line into North Korea.

Both leaders then signed the Panmunjeom Declaration stating that “there will be no more war on the Korean Peninsula and thus a new era of peace has begun.”

Both leader agreed to pursue complete denuclearization, a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula” and to actively pursue further meetings with the United States, and possibly China, to establish a more permanent peace.