The Pope has welcomed the Northern Ireland peace agreement, saying it promised a brighter future for its citizens. "I wish to invite you to thank God for the positive results reached in recent days in Northern Ireland," the Pope told an exuberant crowd from the balcony of his summer residence south of Rome yesterday.
"They allow those dear populations, tested for so long, to look to the future with greater confidence," he added.
"Let us pray to God that each one, listening to his own conscience, has the courage to perform responsible and concrete gestures which will allow all to walk the road of peace together, avoiding anything that could lead back to hatred and violence."