Pope Francis has expressed the view that the world is suffering from an “epidemic of enmity” and called for an end to “schisms”.

“It is to be regretted that wars and schisms sow resentment and fear in hearts. People who differ from us are often seen as adversaries. We are dealing with these issues as global and pervasive communication leads to this widespread attitude becoming a mentality. Differences manifest themselves as symptoms of enmity, from which comes a kind of epidemic of enmity,” he said in his message, sent to the organizers and participants of the upcoming 44th “Meeting for Friendship among the peoples” of Rimini, signed by Cardinal Pietro Parolina, the Vatican Secretary of State.

According to the pontiff, “this is a situation that cannot be solved by one’s own means”. Francis expressed the hope that the meeting in Rimini “will continue to promote a culture of meetings open to all without exception”.

Annually, the largest Christian European forum takes place in the Emilia-Romagna region on the Adriatic coast of Italy. Every year, for a few days, the forum is visited by hundreds of thousands of delegates from different countries.

Source: Burkina Information Agency