Renounce acts of violence: Pope

Vatican City (Rome), Oct 12 (PTI) Pope Benedict XVI Sunday made sharp reference to the anti-Christian violence in India and asked its perpetrators to "renounce these acts" and work together in building a "civilisation of love".

"I urge the perpetrators of violence to renounce these acts and join with their brothers and sisters to work together in building a civilisation of love," the Pope said in his concluding speech after canonising Kerala-born Sister Alphonsa and three others at a special ceremony.

"As the Christian faithful of India give thanks to God for their first native daughter to be presented for public veneration, I wish to assure them of my prayers during this difficult time," he said in his speech in English, referring to attacks on Christians and their prayer houses in Orissa and Karnataka.

Sister Alphonsa's "heroic virtues of patience, fortitude and perseverance in the midst of deep suffering remind us that God always provides the strength we need to overcome every trial", the Pope said, addressing thousands of Christians, including from India, at the St Peter's Basilica in this holy city.

"I invite prayers for reconciliation and peace in situations which provoke alarm and great suffering," he said.

The Pope had earlier in August condemned the violence
against Christians in Orissa and called upon Indian religious
and civil authorities "to work together to restore peaceful
co-existence and harmony between the different religious
communities."

"While firmly condemning the attacks on human lives,
whose sacred character must be respected by all, I extend my
spiritual comfort and solidarity to the monks and nuns who
have been put through such a difficult test," the Pope had
said in August.

The Italian government had in September told India's
ambassador to Rome it is "deeply concerned" about violence
against Christians in Orissa.