Pope Francis opens 2015 with calls for peace

Celebrating Mass Thursday morning in St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Francis asked that God "grant peace to our days — peace in hearts, peace in families, peace among nations."

“May there never again be wars, but always the desire and commitment to peace and fraternity among peoples,” the pope said in his traditional noontime Angelus address on New Year’s Day, delivered before a crowd of more than 100,000 gathered in St. Peter’s Square.

“Prayer is at the root of peace,” Francis said.