With Russia’s war in Ukraine raging, Pope Francis joined Muslim, Christian, and Jewish leaders in calling for world peace.
On the second day of his visit to Bahrain, Pope Francis called for peace talks to end the Ukraine war.
He was speaking at an interfaith forum on the island Gulf state.
The pontiff said religion must never be used to justify violence and faith leaders must counter the “childlike” whims of the powerful to wage wars.
"Let me reiterate my call for peace in Ukraine, and for the advent of peace talks," said the Pope during the conference.
Francis, who suffers from a knee ailment that forces him to use a wheelchair and cane, wove his speech around the role of religions in promoting peace, disarmament and social justice.
The visit continues the pope's policy of improving ties with the Islamic world following an historic visit to Abu Dhabi in 2019, the first by any pope to the Arabian peninsula.