As the battle to liberate Mosul advances with the recapture of Bashiqa from Islamic State,Pope Francis has made a passionate appeal for peace in Iraq.
Pope Francis said: "In these dramatic hours, I am close to the entire population of Iraq, especially that of the city of Mosul."
He added: "Our hearts are shocked by the heinous acts of violence that for too long have been perpetrated against innocent citizens, whether they be Muslims, whether they be Christians, or people belonging to other ethnic groups and religions."
He had shed tears over the cruelty of the killings of so many, including children.
"I was saddened to hear news of the killing – in cold blood – of many sons and daughters of that beloved land, including many children. This cruelty makes us weep, leaving us without words."
Pope Francis was delivering his traditional Angelus to 50,000 pilgrims in St Peter's Square, Rome.
He said: "Along with this word of solidarity goes assurance of my remembrance in prayer so that Iraq, while gravely stricken, might be both strong and firm in the hope of moving toward a future of security, reconciliation and peace."
The recapture of Mosul will be a signficant defeat for Islamic State and remove it from its last remaining key strategic position. Hundreds of people, including young children, are being used as human shields by the terrorists as they retreat.
In his reflection before the Angelus, Pope Francis spoke of the day's designation as World Missionary Day.
He referred to St Paul describing his life as an offering or sacrifice, and to fighting the "good fight".
Pope Francis stressed that Paul's mission was effective, righteous and true thanks solely to his closeness to Jesus.
"In Paul, the Christian community encounters its model, in the conviction that it is the presence of the Lord that makes apostolic work and the task of evangelisation successful.
"The experience of the Apostle of the Gentiles reminds us that on the one hand, we must engage in pastoral and missionary activities as though the result depended on our efforts, with the spirit of sacrifice of an athlete who does not stop even when faced with defeat, and on the other, however, in the knowledge that the true success of our mission is a gift of grace: it is the Holy Spirit Who makes the Church's mission in the world effective."
He added: "Today is a time of mission and a time of courage – courage to strengthen our faltering steps, to commit ourselves to the gospel, to regain confidence in the strength that mission brings.
"It is a time of courage, even though having courage does not mean having a guarantee of success. We are required to have the courage to fight, not necessarily to win; to proclaim but not necessarily to convert. We are required to have the courage not to conform to the world, without however becoming polemical or aggressive.
"We are required to have the courage to be open to all, never to diminish the absolute and unique nature of Christ, sole Saviour of all."
