( dpa ) - Pope Benedict XVI appealed Sunday for peace in the troubled nations of Kenya and Colombia and urged the faithful to respect human life from "before birth" until "natural" death.
"I invite you all to join our brothers and sisters in Kenya in prayer for justice and reconciliation in their country," the pontiff told a crowd gathered in St Peter's Square for his Sunday Angelus blessing.
"I hope that the efforts being made in the current negotiations will be successful and lead, thanks to the goodwill of all, to a rapid solution to the conflict that has already claimed too many victims," Benedict said referring to Kenya.
The East African nation has been plagued by violence triggered by a disputed election in December with an estimated 900 people killed and over 300,000 left displaced.
Benedict also asked the faithful to pray for an end "to the inhuman suffering" in Colombia were government forces have been battling leftist rebels in a years-long conflict.
"I cannot but raise a fervent wish before God on behalf of Colombia where for so long the sons and daughters of that nation suffer extortion, kidnappings the violent loss of their dear ones," the pontiff said.
Benedict also expressed solidarity with the Roman Catholic Church in Italy which on Sunday celebrated its "Day for Life" an event that serves to renew church teachings against abortion and euthanasia, or medically assisted death.
Human life, said Benedict, needs to be safeguarded "all the more when it is fragile and in need of care, from before birth and in its terminal phase."
The pontiff said he wanted to join Italy's bishops in encouraging those who "with great dedication assist elderly or disabled family members and those that sacrifice part of their time to help people of all ages whose suffer because of poverty."