VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis says the detonation of atomic bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki 70 years ago remains “a permanent warning to humanity” to reject war and ban weapons of mass destruction.
The pope during his traditional Sunday blessing recalled the U.S. detonation of atomic weapons as “a tragic event that still arouses horror and revulsion.” He said the bombings of the Japanese cities had become a symbol of mankind’s destructive power when science and technology are put to “distorted use.”
READ MORE: After Hiroshima visit, diplomat says nuclear weapons should never be used again
U.S. planes dropped two atomic bombs on two days in August 1945, unleashing unprecedented destruction that killed more than 200,000 people and left survivors with lifelong psychological and physical scars. It was the first and only time nuclear weapons have been used.
WATCH: It has been a sombre week in Japan, marking 70 years since the country was devastated by two atomic bombs — the first dropped on Hiroshima and the second flattening Nagasaki. Pledges are made to remember the tragedies and to continue world nuclear disarmament. Mike le Couteur reports.
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