January 7, 2024 / 11:50 AM
After praying the Angelus, Pope Francis called this Sunday to pray for the release, without conditions, of all the people who remain kidnapped in Colombia.
“I invite you to join me in praying for the release, without conditions, of all the people currently kidnapped in Colombia. This gesture, which is a duty before God, will also favor a climate of reconciliation and peace in the country,” said the Holy Father before the 12,000 pilgrims who gathered in St. Peter’s Square to recite the Marian prayer.
In mid-December, the Colombian Ministry of Defense reported that between January and October 2023, 286 kidnappings were recorded, surpassing the same period of the previous year, in which 166 cases occurred.