Pope Francis encourages peace in Sri Lanka

Pope Francis began his second trip to Asia on Tuesday, delivering a speech at Sri Lanka's international airport in Colombo.
Pope Francis encouraged the "pursuit of truth" in Sri Lanka, saying it could be reached by "cultivating those virtues which foster reconciliation, solidarity, and peace." At a later meeting of religious leaders, Pope Francis said that "what is needed now is healing and unity, not further division and conflict."
The papal visit comes at a noteworthy time for Sri Lanka — last week, former president Mahinda Rajapaksa was defeated in the country's elections. Rajapaksa ended Sri Lanka's civil war with the Tamil Tigers in 2009, and the country is still dealing with the civil war's aftermath. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's new president, Maithripala Sirisena, has promised "an end to repression of religious minorities," BBC News reports.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Francis' visit is the first papal trip to Sri Lanka since the end of the war in 2009. On Wednesday, Francis will canonize the 17th-century missionary Joseph Vaz as Sri Lanka's first saint. He will then travel to the Philippines. --Meghan DeMaria
Iframe Code
Iframe Code
Iframe Code
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Meghan DeMaria is a staff writer at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Marie Claire.
-
5 low ratings cartoons about the Late Show cancellation
Cartoons Artists take on early warning signs, the Gen Z stare, and more
-
Connie Francis: Superstar of the early 1960s pop scene
In the Spotlight The 'Pretty Little Baby' and 'Stupid Cupid' singer has died aged 87
-
Crossword: July 26, 2025
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
-
Southern Baptists endorse gay marriage ban
Speed Read The largest US Protestant denomination voted to ban same-sex marriage and pornography at their national meeting
-
Prevost elected first US pope, becomes Leo XIV
speed read Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost is a Chicago native who spent decades living in Peru
-
Pope Francis dies at 88
Speed Read 'How much contempt is stirred up at times toward the vulnerable, the marginalized and migrants,' Pope Francis wrote in his final living message
-
Pope returns to Vatican after long hospital stay
Speed Read Pope Francis entered the hospital on Feb. 14 and battled double pneumonia
-
Texas megachurch founder charged with sex crimes
Speed Read Robert Morris, former spiritual adviser to President Donald Trump, is accused of sexually abusing a child
-
Pope Francis suffers setback with respiratory episodes
Speed Read The 88-year-old pope continues to battle pneumonia
-
US Christianity's long decline has halted, Pew finds
Speed Read 62% of Americans call themselves Christian, a population that has been 'relatively stable' for the past five years
-
Pope Francis hospitalized with 'complex' illness
Speed Read The Vatican says their leader has a respiratory infection, raising new concerns about his health