Pope Slams Iraq War

Pope Benedict XVI harshly criticized the Iraq war today at the close of a Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Square, the AP reports. “Enough with the slaughters. Enough with the violence. Enough with the hatred,” he said to applause from a crowd of thousands.
He said the war “provoked a breakup” of Iraqi civilian life and urged the country’s factions to work toward "reconciliation, forgiveness, justice, and coexistence among tribal, ethnic, and religious groups."

The pope’s words come days after a kidnapped Catholic archbishop’s body was found in northern Iraq. Benedict also addressed the faithful, questioning the impact of greed and worldly desires on faith, Reuters reports. “Is our faith pure and open enough?” he asked. He called on listeners, many carrying giant palm fronds, to “see with a young heart which isn't blocked by prejudice.” (More Pope Benedict XVI stories.)