Pope Francis on Wednesday called for the release of all prisoners of war, specifically mentioning the Holy Land and Ukraine, and gave a special thought to those subjected to torture.
"Our thoughts, at this moment, the thoughts of all of us, go to the peoples at war," the Argentine pontiff said at the end of his weekly General Audience.
"We think of the Holy Land, of Palestine, of Israel. We think of Ukraine, tormented Ukraine. We think of the prisoners of war.
"May the Lord move wills so they may all be freed.
"The torture of prisoners is a horrible thing, it is not human," he continued.
"We think of so many kinds of torture that wound the dignity of the person, and of so many tortured people.
"May the Lord help everyone and bless everyone."