Francis prays for Haitians and “peoples suffering from war and violence”

More than 10,000 people crowded into St. Mark’s Square in Venice, northern Italy, to pray the Mass with Pope Francis.

The Pontiff's trip represented an increasingly rare outing for the 87-year-old, who has been hobbled by health problems.

He prayed, Sunday (Apr. 28), for the people of Haiti.

“I am thinking of Haiti, where a state of emergency is in effect and the population is in despair because of the collapse of the health care system, food shortages and violence that is forcing people to flee.”

Amid relentless gang violence, a state of emergency is enforced in the Ouest department where Haitian capital Port-au-Prince is located until May 3rd.

The UN Integrated Office in Haiti reported that armed violence killed or injured 2,505 people between January and March.

The Pope remembered peoples living in other zones of insecurity.

“I think of the tormented Ukraine, Palestine and Israel, the Rohingya and so many peoples suffering from war and violence. May the God of peace enlighten hearts so that the will for dialogue and reconciliation may grow in everyone.”

Francis traveled to Venice to visit the Holy See’s pavilion at the Biennale contemporary art show and meet with the people who created it.

The exhibit is housed in a jail - and involved women prisoners working with the artists.

The Pope is schedule to travel to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Singapore in September.