Pope prays for 'victory of peace' in Middle East

Pope Benedict XVI prayed for the “victory of peace” in the Middle East, as his special envoy led the faithful in prayers in Lebanon, where a UN-brokered ceasefire appeared to be holding today.

The pontiff also lamented that humanity was anxious about a world torn by violence, and denounced the worsening of ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka and the daily bloodshed in Iraq.