Speaking in his Angelus message on Sunday, Pope Francis encouraged the thousands of pilgrims in St. Peter's Square to think about their death and the day that they will meet God face-to-face. The pope's message came two days after the brutal Paris attacks, which claimed 129 lives and injured 350 others, according to Breitbart News.
"I wish to express my deep sorrow for the terrorist attacks, which on Friday evening, covered France in blood. Such barbarity leaves us shocked and makes us wonder how the human heart can conceive and carry out such horrible events, which have shaken not only France but the entire world," the pope said.
The pope also warned that the events of the present day seem to correspond to Jesus' description of the end times as depicted in Mark chapter 13. The New Testament manuscript described a series of grim events unfolding on the eve of the apocalypse, such as wars, famine, cosmic catastrophes, and the darkening of the sun and moon, according to Christian Today.
Speaking on the issue of ISIS' use of Islamic ideologies as the rationale behind their terrorist attacks, Pope Francis said that the acts of violence perpetrated by the Islamic State are downright blasphemy. "I wish to forcefully reaffirm that the path of violence and hate can never solve the problems of humanity. To use the name of God to justify this path is blasphemy," he said.
Despite the grim message however, Pope Francis nonetheless reminded Christians that the evil prevalent in the world today will eventually come to pass. "The Lord tells us that everything passes and only He and his Word remain as a light to guide and strengthen our steps," the Pope said.
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