Francis asked Pope solemnly Sunday "a legal guarantee of the embryo", "to protect every human being from the first moment of his existence."

At the prayer of the Regina Coeli, the Pope, who had never spoken explicitly of these sensitive subjects, defined as "the defense of the sanctity of human life" as a central theme of "Year of Faith", which will be the center of a ceremony at the Vatican on 15 and 16 June

The Pope greeted the participants in Rome a great popular works from different parishes and "pro-life" members of organizations from several places in Europe.  

Francis, whose conservative positions on these issues we knew when he was archbishop of Buenos Aires, was prompted to keep "living everyone's attention on the very important topic of respect life from conception. "

Some 30,000 people (according to the organizers) marched in the morning, starting from the Colosseum to Castel Sant'Angelo, a few meters from the Vatican.

The Pope referred to a collection of signatures currently underway in the Italian parishes to support the initiative "Uno di noi" proposed to the European Union through the motions for life.

He paid tribute to the struggle "to ensure legal protection for the embryo, thus protecting every human being from the first moment of its existence." 

The pope said the Vatican will take place on 15 and 16 June Day "Evangelium Vitae" ("Gospel of Life"), a "special moment for all those who to defending the sacredness of life. " On this occasion, he will celebrate a Mass in St. Peter's Square.

The subject of the defense of life – abortion, euthanasia, bioethics – is highly confrontational between the Catholic Church and the societies of the West.

John Paul II and Benedict XVI had adopted intransigent positions on these "non-negotiable values" that takes positions unambiguously Argentine Pope, who had never expressed directly on these themes since he was elected to the throne of Peter.

For the Church, life is a gift from God, abortion and euthanasia can not be accepted in any way. Differences between theologians then express the position to adopt towards people who use it, many theologians today insisting on an attitude of "mercy."

AFP