Pope offers prayers for the Philippines and for peacemakers

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- As people in the Philippines mourned the loss of more than 200 people and massive damage from a typhoon in early November and were bracing for an even more powerful storm, Pope Leo XIV offered his prayers.

"I express my closeness to the people of the Philippines who have been hit by a violent typhoon: I pray for the deceased and their families, as well as for the injured and displaced," the pope said Nov. 9 after leading the recitation of the Angelus prayer with visitors in St. Peter's Square.

Typhoon Kalmaegi made landfall on the Philippine's Leyte Island Nov. 4 and struck Cebu and Negros islands that same day. The storm claimed at least 224 lives, with another 109 people still missing, the Philippines News Agency reported.

The country was bracing for an even bigger storm, Super Typhoon Fung-wong, which was expected to make landfall in northern Luzon Nov. 9 or 10.

Also, at the end of his Angelus address, Pope Leo talked about peacemaking and November prayers for the dead, including those who have died in war.

"I express my heartfelt appreciation for all those who, at every level, are committed to building peace in the various regions affected by war," he said.

"In these last few days, we have prayed for the dead and among these, unfortunately, are many who were killed in combat and bombings, even though they were civilians, children, elderly or sick people," he said.

"If we truly want to honor their memory," Pope Leo said, "we must stop the wars and put all of our efforts into negotiations."

The pope also noted that for the church in Italy, Nov. 9 was the Sunday chosen for Thanksgiving, a religious observance focused mostly on agriculture and the relationship between people and the earth.

Pope Leo said he joined the Italian bishops "in encouraging responsible care for the land, combating food waste, and adopting sustainable agricultural practices."

"Let us thank God for 'our sister Mother Earth,'" as St. Francis of Assisi called her, "and for those who cultivate and protect her!"