Vatican City, Jan 5, 2018 / 07:14 am
Pope Francis has kicked off the new year by shedding light on the plight of persecuted religious minorities in Asia, asking that Catholics join him in praying for these people and for religious freedom in their countries.
The video, released Jan. 5, opens by showing images of different scenery and people in Asia as the Pope, speaking in his native Spanish, says that "in the vastly diversified cultural world of Asia, the Church faces many risks and her task is made more difficult by the fact of her being a minority."
These risks and challenges, he said, "are shared with other minority religious traditions, with whom we share a desire for wisdom, truth and holiness."
Images of people from various religious confessions praying and lighting incense are then shown, and chains are placed around their hands.