Scottish Catholic Observer

The resolution has been overwhelmingly approved in Argentina’s House of Representatives and will now go to the Senate for ratification.

Pope Francis’ call for an end to violence in war-torn Syria, a plea he has made on a number of occasions, was the main reason the lawmakers believe he should be nominated for the prestigious prize.

Oscar Martinez, a member of the House of Representatives, who sponsored the resolution, described the Holy Father as ‘a man who, throughout this year, has been decisive in maintaining international peace through his clear position regarding the conflict in Syria.’

On September 7, Pope Francis called for an international day of fasting and prayer for peace following reports that chemical weapons had been used against civilians in Syria, killing more than 1400 people.

He also sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin during the G20 Summit in which he called on the international community to work for an end to the violence in Syria and to reject any military intervention.

The chemical weapons incident had led to calls for possible international military action against the regime of Syrian President President Bashar al-Assad, who has been fighting an uprising that began more than two-and-a-half years ago.

After weeks of negotiation, an international agreement was reached to destroy Syria’s chemical weapons without a military strike.

Thus far, the Syrian civil war has claimed the lives of more than 115,000 people. There are at least 2.2 million Syrian refugees in nearby countries, including Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey, while, it is believed, an additional 6.5 million Syrians have been internally displaced by the civil war.

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