In a statement released on Friday, the Vatican confirms that Pope Francis made a generous donation to the needy in the war-ravaged Syrian city of Aleppo. "The Holy Father celebrated a Mass for Syria and has sent 100,000 euro ($106,000) to the poor of Aleppo," the statement read. The Pope has been publicly raising attention and awareness to the plight of Syrians caught in the conflict since his election in 2013. Aleppo has endured brutal fighting during the six-year Syrian conflict, and the warfare has caused many deaths and injuries, widespread displacement and massive damage. </s> Vatican City, March 10 - Pope Francis on Friday sent 100,000 euros to the poor in the wartorn Syrian city of Aleppo, the deputy head of the Vatican press office, Paloma Ovejero, said. </s> VATICAN CITY, March 10 (Reuters) - Pope Francis has sent 100,000 euros ($106,090) to the poor in the ravaged Syrian city of Aleppo, a Vatican spokeswoman said in a statement on Friday.

The Vatican administration, known as the Curia, contributed to the donation, which will be made through the papal charity office and the Franciscan order working in the Holy Land.

Aleppo was Syria's most populous city before war broke out six years ago, but swathes of it have been destroyed and thousands displaced in the conflict gripping the country.

Government forces, which seized the city from rebels in December after months of intense fighting, have captured its main water supply station from Islamic State, a monitor group said this week. ($1 = 0.9426 euros) (Reporting by Isla Binnie; Editing by Toby Davis) </s> FILE PHOTO: Pope Francis waves after delivering his "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) message from the balcony overlooking St. Peter's Square at the Vatican December 25, 2016. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi/File Photo

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis has sent 100,000 euros ($106,090) to the poor in the ravaged Syrian city of Aleppo, a Vatican spokeswoman said in a statement on Friday.

The Vatican administration, known as the Curia, contributed to the donation, which will be made through the papal charity office and the Franciscan order working in the Holy Land.

Aleppo was Syria’s most populous city before war broke out six years ago, but swathes of it have been destroyed and thousands displaced in the conflict gripping the country.

Government forces, which seized the city from rebels in December after months of intense fighting, have captured its main water supply station from Islamic State, a monitor group said this week. </s> Pope Francis made a generous donation to the needy in the war-ravaged Syrian city of Aleppo, the Vatican announced Friday.

“The Holy Father …. celebrated a Mass for Syria and has sent 100,000 euro ($106,000) to the poor of Aleppo,” the Vatican said in a statement.

The ancient city has become a symbol of the war’s brutality.

It has endured brutal fighting during the six-year Syrian conflict, and the warfare has caused many deaths and injuries, widespread displacement and massive damage.

The Pope has been publicly raising attention and awareness to the plight of Syrians caught in the conflict since his election in 2013.

The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, a body established in August 2011 by the UN Human Rights Council, focused on the violence in the Aleppo region in its latest report, issued March 1. It covers the period from mid-July to late December.

In that time, citizens were “not just caught in the line of fire. More often than not, they were the target,” the report said, and “hospitals, orphanages, markets, schools and homes were all but obliterated.”

“Much of Aleppo, once Syria’s biggest city and its commercial and cultural centre and a UNESCO World Heritage site, has been reduced to rubble. More than 100,000 people have been displaced and are struggling to survive,” the report said. </s> After the last meditation and photos with the religious who manage the Divine Master house, Pope Francis boarded the bus to Rome, where he arrived around 11:30 in the morning.

"I want to thank you for the work you've done; how you've prepared yourself. This means responsibility, and taking things seriously. Thank you for all that you have given us."

"I want to thank you for the work you've done; how you've prepared yourself. This means responsibility, and taking things seriously. Thank you for all that you have given us."

The pope also thanked Guilio Michelini for his efforts to lead these spiritual exercises.

During the spiritual exercises , the pope and members of the Curia read the testimony of this pastor of Aleppo, Franciscan Ibrahim Alsabagh.

"In thanksgiving for the collection of money destined for Aleppo, Fr. Ibrahim has written a brief email, together with the Custody of the Holy Land. It expresses the gratitude from Aleppo's poor, for those who celebrated the Eucharist this morning in accordance with the pope's intention, and for the generous donation of 100,000 euros."

"In thanksgiving for the collection of money destined for Aleppo, Fr. Ibrahim has written a brief email, together with the Custody of the Holy Land. It expresses the gratitude from Aleppo's poor, for those who celebrated the Eucharist this morning in accordance with the pope's intention, and for the generous donation of 100,000 euros."

Franciscan Guilio Michelini, presider of the pope's spiritual retreat, has expressed the gratitude of the Aleppans .

He has raised 100,000 euros from members of the Roman Curia to send to the martyred Syrian city. It serves as a beacon of hope for peace that seems increasingly closer after six years of war. On March 15, Syria will enter its seventh year of conflict.

The last day of Pope Francis' spiritual retreat concluded with this Mass . It was offered for Syria. In addition to this gesture, the pope also included an important donation to the city of Aleppo.

The last day of Pope Francis' spiritual retreat concluded with . It was offered for Syria. In addition to this gesture, the pope also included an important donation to the city of Aleppo.

He has raised from members of the Roman Curia to send to the martyred Syrian city. It serves as a beacon of hope for peace that seems increasingly closer after six years of war. On March 15, Syria will enter its seventh year of conflict.

Franciscan Guilio Michelini, presider of the pope's spiritual retreat, has expressed the gratitude of the .

"In thanksgiving for the collection of money destined for Aleppo, Fr. Ibrahim has written a brief email, together with the Custody of the Holy Land. It expresses the gratitude from Aleppo's poor, for those who celebrated the Eucharist this morning in accordance with the pope's intention, and for the generous donation of 100,000 euros."

During the , the pope and members of the Curia read the testimony of this pastor of Aleppo, Franciscan Ibrahim Alsabagh.

The pope also thanked for his efforts to lead these spiritual exercises.

"I want to thank you for the work you've done; how you've prepared yourself. This means responsibility, and taking things seriously. Thank you for all that you have given us."

After the last meditation and photos with the religious who manage the Divine Master house, Pope Francis boarded the bus to Rome, where he arrived around </s> VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis told the faithful in St. Peter’s Square that he is “deeply disturbed” by the international community’s failure to come up with a common response to the crisis in Syria and other parts of the world.

“Despite the tools available to the international community, it is difficult to agree on a common action toward peace in Syria or other regions of the world,” the pope told a crowd of 30,000 after his traditional Sunday blessing.

Francis called on “all people of goodwill” to join him in praying for peace, and appealed to political leaders to help “justice prevail.”

The pope spoke after airstrikes by the United States, France and Britain aimed at taking out Syria’s chemical weapons capacity. That followed a suspected poison gas attack by Syrian government forces on a rebel-held Damascus suburb that killed dozens, including children.

The suffering in Syria has been top among the pope’s concerns. Francis last Sunday said “nothing can justify” the use of chemical weapons and called for negotiations.

“There is not a good or a bad war, and nothing can justify such instruments that exterminate defenseless people and populations,” the pope said. “Let’s pray that the responsible politicians and military leaders choose another path: that of negotiations, the only one that can bring peace.” </s> VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis on Sunday offered a Christmas hope for peace in a world lacerated by war and terrorism, urging people to remember migrants, refugees and those hit by economic instability caused by “idolatry of money.”

Francis, marking the fourth Christmas season since his election in 2013, also urged Palestinians and Israelis, facing renewed tension after a United Nations resolution condemning Israeli settlements on occupied land, to have the courage to put aside hate and revenge and “write a new page of history.”

His traditional “Urbi et Orbi” (to the city and the world) message was linked by a common thread of war, violence and suffering at a time that should be defined by harmony and peace symbolized by the infant Jesus.

“Peace to those who have lost a person dear to them as a result of brutal acts of terrorism, which have sown fear and death into the hearts of so many countries and cities,” he told some 40,000 people gathered in St. Peter’s Square.

Security was heightened for the Christmas weekend in Italy and at the Vatican after Italian police killed the man believed to be responsible for the Berlin market truck attack while other European cities kept forces on high alert.

“Today this message [of peace] goes out to the ends of the earth to reach all peoples, especially those scarred by war and harsh conflicts that seem stronger than the yearning for peace,” he said, speaking in Italian from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.

He called for peace in Syria, urging immediate assistance to the exhausted population of the city of Aleppo, which Syrian government forces recaptured last week after four years of devastating fighting with rebels.

“It is time for weapons to be still forever [in Syria], and the international community to actively seek a negotiated solution, so that civil co-existence can be restored in the country,” he said.

Francis, the first Latin American pope, also said Christmas should inspire everyone to help the less fortunate, including migrants, refugees and those swept up by social and economic upheavals.

“Peace to the peoples who suffer because of the economic ambitions of the few, because of the sheer greed and the idolatry of money, which leads to slavery,” he said.

At his Christmas Eve Mass on Saturday, Francis said the feast had been “taken hostage” by dazzling materialism that puts God in the shadows.

On Sunday, he also called for an end to “fundamentalist terrorism” in Nigeria, a reference to Boko Haram, which has killed 15,000 people and displaced more than two million during a seven-year insurgency to create an Islamic state.

Francis further appealed for an end to tensions between the government and opposition in Venezuela, for harmony in Colombia, which recently ended a civil war with FARC guerrillas, and an end to strife on the Korean peninsula and in Myanmar. </s> Pope Francis told the faithful in St. Peter's Square that he is "deeply disturbed" by the international community's failure to come up with a common response to the crisis in Syria and other parts of the world.

"Despite the tools available to the international community, it is difficult to agree on a common action toward peace in Syria or other regions of the world," the pope told a crowd of 30,000 after his traditional Sunday blessing.

Francis called on "all people of goodwill" to join him in praying for peace, and appealed to political leaders to help "justice prevail."

The pope spoke after airstrikes by the United States, France and Britain aimed at taking out Syria's chemical weapons capacity. That followed a suspected poison gas attack by Syrian government forces on a rebel-held Damascus suburb that killed dozens, including children.

The suffering in Syria has been top among the pope's concerns. Francis last Sunday said "nothing can justify" the use of chemical weapons and called for negotiations.

"There is not a good or a bad war, and nothing can justify such instruments that exterminate defenseless people and populations," the pope said. "Let's pray that the responsible politicians and military leaders choose another path: that of negotiations, the only one that can bring peace."
Pope Francis donates 100,000 euros for the poor of Aleppo.