Pope Francis urges peace, reconciliation in Colombia

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Pope Francis urged Colombians skeptical of a peace deal with guerrillas to be open to reconciliation with those who have repented, speaking hours after a top rebel leader asked the pontiff for forgiveness.

The Pope is visiting Colombia with a message of national reconciliation, as the country tries to heal the wounds left by the conflict and bitter disagreements over a peace deal agreed last year.

He presided over a prayer for reconciliation Friday in hopes of solidifying the country's peace process and healing still-fresh wounds.

In the highlight of his Colombia pilgrimage, Francis flew into an area once besieged by leftist rebels to pray with victims and urge them to overcome their grief by forgiving their assailants. And he urged the ex-fighters to have the courage to seek that forgiveness, saying peace will fail unless both sides reconcile.

"Peace is something Colombia has been searching for for a long time. A stable and enduring peace to see each other and treat each other as brothers, never as enemies," the Pope said.

This trip comes as the country works to build a lasting peace, after more than 50 years of armed conflict in the region.

Pope Francis met with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos in Bogota on Thursday. The pontiff hopes his visit will not only help the peace process in Colombia but also urge a return to stability in neighboring Venezuela.

Colombians are deeply divided over the terms of the peace accord to end more than a half century of armed conflict with the FARC guerrilla group. Reconciliation is a central theme of the Pope's visit. He lobbied for the peace process and promised to visit if a deal was made with the rebels.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos (R) talks with Pope Francis in Bogota, Colombia, September 7, 2017. /AFP Photo

"The message is let's sit down and resolve conflicts in a peaceful manner. It doesn't mean that we are looking to not have conflict, but to find ways to resolve those conflicts. That is the message of the pope," political analyst Pedro Viveros said.

The Colombian government is currently negotiating a peace deal with the country's second largest guerrilla group, the National Liberation Army (ELN).

On Monday, a temporary bilateral ceasefire was announced between the ELN and the government, beginning in October and ending on January 12.

"The pope is coming during a unique moment, as we turn the page on an absurd conflict, and move forward to the future. And he is inviting us to take the first step," Santos said.

The ELN rebel group has said, "The visit of Pope Francis should provide extra motivation to speed up the search for an agreement."

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