Vatican City, 6 March 2016 – After today's Angelus prayer, the Pope recalled the four Missionaries of Charity killed last Friday in the Yemeni city of Aden, where they assisted the elderly in a rest home, and expressed his closeness to the community founded by Mother Teresa of Calcutta as well as the relatives of the other twelve people who lost their lives during the attack.

"These are the martyrs of today", he exclaimed. "They are not found on the covers of newspapers, and they do not make the news. These people are victims of the attack of those who killed them and of also indifference, of this globalisation of indifference. … May Mother Teresa, accompany her martyr daughters of charity in Heaven, and intercede for peace and sacred respect for human life".

Subsequently, as a concrete sign of commitment to peace and life, he expressed his admiration for a humanitarian initiative for refugees, recently launched in Italy. A pilot project, which "combines solidarity and security and allows help to be provided for people fleeing war and violence, like the hundred refugees who have already moved to Italy, including sick children, disabled people, war widows with children, and the elderly". He added, "I also welcome this initiative because it is ecumenical, supported by the Sant’Egidio Community, the Italian Federation of Evangelical Churches, and the Waldensian and Methodist Churches".

Finally, he asked all present to pray for him and his collaborators who will begin their spiritual exercises this afternoon, scheduled to continue until Friday.