Pope Welcomes 2005 with Hope, Prayer for Tsunami Victims

Vatican City – Pope John Paul II welcomed 2005 with a solemn prayer for the victims of the Asian flood disasters, the Vatican announced.

The 84–year–old Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church celebrated mass in his private chapel by "turning his thoughts towards the families of victims and all those who have suffered from the effects of this disaster, together with those engaged in alleviating the great suffering of the affected population," said Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro–Valls.

“I send a special greeting to the ambassadors of those countries that have been struck in these days by the enormous cataclysm,” the 84–year old Pontiff told thousands of pilgrims and Church dignitaries at his traditional New Year’s Day Mass.

"Once more I express my nearness to the populations struck by the tragic cataclysm of these past days," the Pope said, in his New Year's Day greeting from his studio window overlooking St. Peter's Square at noon. "In assuring my prayer for the victims of the catastrophe and for their families, I note favorably the solidarity efforts which are developing in every part of the world."

The Pope, now in the 27th Christmas season of his pontificate, also marked the Catholic Church’s annual World Day of Peace by calling for greater cooperation between religions.

“In the face of multiple manifestations of evil, that are injuring the human family, the first priority is to further peace through common means, giving importance to dialogue, to acts of justice and forgiveness,” the Polish Pope said.

The peace message, released early in December, is one of the most glum of Pope John Paul’s pontificate, describing social and political evil spreading through the world causing war, injustice, violence and desperation.

In it the Pope said that Iraq seems locked in insecurity and uncertainty, the Middle East sometimes appears to be broken beyond repair, Africa is mired in desperation and terrorism has hung a cloud of anguish over the globe.

Pope John Paul, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease and has difficulty speaking, on December 31, 2004 called on the world’s one billion Catholics to “win the fight over evil with the armies of love.”

“This is the road Christians and believers in different religions are called on to walk together acknowledging the universal moral law,” he said in a relatively clear voice.

As has become typical, the Pope presided over the mass but senior cardinals celebrated it.

Wearing gold–colored robes, he read the homily slowly but in a clear voice as he sat in a chair in front of the central altar of the basilica.

The Pope blessed and patted the heads of children in families that brought gifts to the altar, including a Congolese couple with their baby, and a family of six from the Philippines.

The basilica, crowded with tourists, pilgrims and Romans, echoed with religious chants. Among the singers were a group Aachen, Germany, and another chorus from Amarillo, Texas.

Although the Pope’s holiday schedule is somewhat lighter than it was several years ago, when he still had better health, the Pontiff has kept the major traditional appointments eagerly awaited by the faithful, and has held up well during the long public ceremonies.

The annual peace message, 16 pages long this year, is traditionally sent to all world leaders, the Rome diplomatic corps and heads of major organizations like the United Nations.