Pope Francis calls for Olympic truce for countries at war, prays for peace

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has voiced his hope that the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games will provide an opportunity for countries at war to respect an ancient Greek tradition and establish a truce for the duration of the Games. During his Angelus prayer in St. Peter’s Square, Francis said that “according to ancient tradition, may the Olympics be an opportunity to establish a truce in wars, demonstrating a sincere will for peace.” The pope stressed that sport also has “a great social power, capable of peacefully uniting people from different cultures.” The opening ceremony of the 33rd Olympic Games will be held in Paris on July 26 with the participation of 205 delegations.