Pope John Paul II said today violence in God's name was never justified and that a "cry of blood" in the Holy Land must persuade Christians, Muslims and Jews to seek peace.
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Speaking on the Catholic Church's World Day of Peace, the Pontiff said "perverse interests" threatened to turn the world into a theatre of war.
"Throughout the world a piercing cry invoking peace rings out," he said in a sermon in Saint Peter's Basilica.
Pope John Paul said the September 11th attacks on the United States had shaken the world. He condemned the use of violence in the name of God, but urged people not to fall prey to despair.
"No one, for any reason, can kill in the name of God," he told the packed congregation in an impassioned address.
"However humanly difficult it may seem to look toward the future with optimism, we must not give in to the temptation to be discouraged," he said. "On the contrary, we must work towards peace with courage, confident that evil will not prevail. "
He called on monotheistic religions to condemn the use of violence and said Christians, Muslims and Jews must restore peace to the Holy Land.
"The cry of blood calls to God from that land, the blood of brothers spilt by brothers, all sons of the same Patriach Abraham, sons, as are all men, of the same Holy Father."
The 81-year-old Pope, whose health appeared shaky over Christmas, seemed in relatively good form and read his homily in a firm and clear voice.