By Charles Igwe
At the conclusion of the Sunday Angelus, Pope Francis offered prayers for the victims of the devastating landslides in southern Ethiopia. Expressing solidarity with the affected communities and rescue workers, the Pope lamented the rising death toll, which has reached 257, following the landslides in Gofa Zone. The first landslide occurred in the remote mountainous area of Kencho Shacha Gozdi due to heavy rains on July 21 and 22, and a second landslide tragically struck those attempting rescue efforts.
The Pope highlighted the suffering caused by such natural calamities and the widespread hunger afflicting many around the world. He criticized the ongoing manufacture and sale of weapons, which fuel wars and consume global resources, calling this a “scandal” and a contradiction to the spirit of fraternity exemplified by the Paris Olympic Games. Pope Francis underscored that “war is a defeat” for humanity and called for a shift towards greater solidarity and peace.
