Visit by Pope Francis renews determination of people of Hiroshima to abolish nuclear weapons
Nov. 25, 2019
“Let us together cry out from our hearts: Never again war, never again the clash of arms, never again so much suffering!” On November 24, Pope Francis sent out a direct and powerful message from Hiroshima, the first A-bombed city in human history. His stay at the Peace Memorial Park amounted to just 51 minutes, but the Pope stressed that we should continue to convey the horror of the atomic bombing and make a forceful appeal for realizing the abolition of nuclear weapons. The people of Hiroshima and the A-bomb survivors reflected deeply on the Pope’s words.
A “Meeting for Peace” was held in the Peace Memorial Park. At 6:43 p.m., a solemn mood descended on the park when Pope Francis appeared under the lights glowing in the darkness.
After exchanging a few words, one by one, with 19 representatives from different religious groups and 20 A-bomb survivors, the Pope offered flowers to the Cenotaph for the A-bomb Victims and prayed silently for about one minute. He then led a prayer with all of the participants in the park for the victims of the atomic bombing.
Chisako Takeoka, 91, a resident of Asaminami Ward, was one of the survivors who shook hands with the Pope. Recalling the warmth of his hand, she said, “He gave me a big smile when I told him ‘I’ve been sharing my A-bomb account for more than 20 years.’”
Pope Francis listened attentively to the survivors’ testimonies with a grim look. He delivered a 14-minute speech with the A-bomb Dome and the Cenotaph in the background in which he said, “To remember, to journey together, to protect. These are three moral imperatives that here in Hiroshima assume even more powerful and universal significance, and can open a path to peace.” He emphasized the importance of handing down the catastrophe that befell Hiroshima as a memory for all of humankind. He called on human beings to respect one another beyond their religious and ethnic differences and to take action so that this tragedy will never be repeated.
Tomoki Ino, 52, the chief priest of Yakushiji Temple of Koyasan Shingon Buddhism, located in Asaminami Ward, listened to the Pope’s speech at the venue. “Although our faiths our different, we pray for the same purpose. As a Buddhist monk and a human being, I will, step by step, appeal for the realization of a world that is free of nuclear weapons,” he vowed.
Since he became Pope in 2013, Pope Francis has repeatedly emphasized the inhumane nature of nuclear weapons. In 2014, he expressed concern about the rising danger of nuclear weapons and warned, “Humankind has not learned anything from Hiroshima and Nagasaki.”
The Vatican City State promptly ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons after it was adopted at the United Nations in 2017. The Pope’s strong desire for nuclear abolition was conveyed with his use of the powerful word “crime.” Concluding his address, he said, “The use of atomic energy for purposes of war is today, more than ever, a crime.”
The Argentine Pope has a history of listening to the voices of the weak and the poor. Even after becoming the Pope, he continues to live in modest accommodations for priests instead of moving into the lavish apartment where previous Popes have lived. In his speech, he also mentioned non-Japanese victims of the atomic bomb who had been forced to faced hardships even after the war ended. “The poor who are always the most helpless victims of hatred and conflict,” he said. “It is my humble desire to be the voice of the voiceless.”
Kim Jin Ho, 73, the executive director of the Council of Atom-bombed Koreans in Hiroshima and a resident of Nishi Ward, watched in person as the Pope gave his address. He said firmly, “The Pope told the world that Japanese people were not the only victims of the atomic bombing. His message, that nuclear weapons are inhumane, was no doubt heard by the international community. We must now continue our campaign for nuclear abolition.”
After his speech, Pope Francis turned to the A-bomb survivors once more and placed his palms together. At 7:34 p.m., he left the park amid warm applause from the participants that had gathered there.
(Originally published on November 25, 2019)
A “Meeting for Peace” was held in the Peace Memorial Park. At 6:43 p.m., a solemn mood descended on the park when Pope Francis appeared under the lights glowing in the darkness.
After exchanging a few words, one by one, with 19 representatives from different religious groups and 20 A-bomb survivors, the Pope offered flowers to the Cenotaph for the A-bomb Victims and prayed silently for about one minute. He then led a prayer with all of the participants in the park for the victims of the atomic bombing.
Chisako Takeoka, 91, a resident of Asaminami Ward, was one of the survivors who shook hands with the Pope. Recalling the warmth of his hand, she said, “He gave me a big smile when I told him ‘I’ve been sharing my A-bomb account for more than 20 years.’”
Pope Francis listened attentively to the survivors’ testimonies with a grim look. He delivered a 14-minute speech with the A-bomb Dome and the Cenotaph in the background in which he said, “To remember, to journey together, to protect. These are three moral imperatives that here in Hiroshima assume even more powerful and universal significance, and can open a path to peace.” He emphasized the importance of handing down the catastrophe that befell Hiroshima as a memory for all of humankind. He called on human beings to respect one another beyond their religious and ethnic differences and to take action so that this tragedy will never be repeated.
Tomoki Ino, 52, the chief priest of Yakushiji Temple of Koyasan Shingon Buddhism, located in Asaminami Ward, listened to the Pope’s speech at the venue. “Although our faiths our different, we pray for the same purpose. As a Buddhist monk and a human being, I will, step by step, appeal for the realization of a world that is free of nuclear weapons,” he vowed.
Since he became Pope in 2013, Pope Francis has repeatedly emphasized the inhumane nature of nuclear weapons. In 2014, he expressed concern about the rising danger of nuclear weapons and warned, “Humankind has not learned anything from Hiroshima and Nagasaki.”
The Vatican City State promptly ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons after it was adopted at the United Nations in 2017. The Pope’s strong desire for nuclear abolition was conveyed with his use of the powerful word “crime.” Concluding his address, he said, “The use of atomic energy for purposes of war is today, more than ever, a crime.”
The Argentine Pope has a history of listening to the voices of the weak and the poor. Even after becoming the Pope, he continues to live in modest accommodations for priests instead of moving into the lavish apartment where previous Popes have lived. In his speech, he also mentioned non-Japanese victims of the atomic bomb who had been forced to faced hardships even after the war ended. “The poor who are always the most helpless victims of hatred and conflict,” he said. “It is my humble desire to be the voice of the voiceless.”
Kim Jin Ho, 73, the executive director of the Council of Atom-bombed Koreans in Hiroshima and a resident of Nishi Ward, watched in person as the Pope gave his address. He said firmly, “The Pope told the world that Japanese people were not the only victims of the atomic bombing. His message, that nuclear weapons are inhumane, was no doubt heard by the international community. We must now continue our campaign for nuclear abolition.”
After his speech, Pope Francis turned to the A-bomb survivors once more and placed his palms together. At 7:34 p.m., he left the park amid warm applause from the participants that had gathered there.
(Originally published on November 25, 2019)
