The pope has frequently referred to the biblical figure of Cain, who killed his brother Abel, since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.
In the interview with “A Sua immagine,” broadcast on April 15, Pope Francis said that he prayed the Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel every day.
“Every day, I pray that prayer to St. Michael the Archangel in the morning. Every day! So that it might help me conquer the devil,” he told his interviewer, Lorena Bianchetti.
“Someone who hears me might say: ‘But, Your Holiness, you have studied, you are the pope and you still believe in the devil?’ Yes, I believe in him, I believe in him. I am afraid of him, this is why I have to defend myself so much.”
“The devil was the one who did all that maneuvering so that Jesus would end up like he did, on the cross. The powers of darkness over Jesus: ‘This is your hour,’ the powers of darkness.”
In the special Good Friday episode, entitled “Hope under siege,” the pope also reflected on topics including domestic violence, refugees, and Christ’s Passion.
“Today, Good Friday, in front of Jesus Crucified, let him touch your heart, let him speak to you with his silence, and with his pain,” he advised.
“He speaks to you through those people who are suffering in the world: who suffer from hunger, suffer from war, suffer from such exploitation, and all these things.”
“Let Jesus speak to you and, please, don’t speak. Remain silent. Let him be the one, and ask for the grace of tears.”
Reflecting on the virtue of hope later in the interview, the pope said that “hope never disappoints, but it makes you wait.”
