Pope Francis urges youth not to be 'young couch potatoes' as the world reels from terrorism

Pope Francis urged the young people during World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland not to be remote or indifferent as many around the world become victims of terrorism and crimes of hatred.

The Roman Catholic leader told the hundreds of thousands of Catholic youth gathered for the five-day celebration to shun from living "two-track lives" or to "remain enclosed, out of fear or convenience, within ourselves."

He also highlighted the plight of the Syrian people as they prayed for them as well as other victims of war. He condemned the acts of terrorism but also encouraged the young people not to be indifferent to the sufferings of the less fortunate.

"Once and for all, may we realize that nothing justifies shedding the blood of a brother or sister," said Pope Francis and added, "The times we live in do not call for young 'couch potatoes',"

The pope declared the world at war as he made his flight to the eastern European country after the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) terrorist group claimed responsibility for the killing of an 85-year-old Catholic French priest in Normandy, France.

The church attack became the first of its kind for the Islamic State group when two men, whom the group subsequently hailed as among their soldiers, stormed a Catholic church in Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray near Rouen, Normandy on Tuesday morning. They also filmed themselves as they delivered a sermon in Arabic around the altar before they slit the throat of Fr. Jacques Hamel.

The pope prayed for peace when he decided to stop by the church of St. Francis of Assisi on the last day of his Poland visit.

"Touch the hearts of terrorists so that they may recognize the evil of their actions and may turn to the way of peace and goodness, of respect for the life and for the dignity of every human being, regardless of religion, origin, wealth or poverty," prayed the pontiff.