Pope Francis opened a synod on Sunday to champion the Amazon's poverty-stricken and isolated indigenous communities by condemning the destructive"interests" he blamed for the fires that devastated the region.
The fires, mostly caused by humans with the goal of clearing land for farming and cattle ranching, are having a grievous effect on the forest. "The fire of God is warmth that attracts and gathers into unity. It is fed by sharing, not by profits. The run-up to the synod saw some 260 events held in the Amazon region involving 80,000 people, in a bid to give the local populations a voice in the document.
"We are asking the world for help because we are very worried about the new mining exploration policy in the Amazon," he told AFP, wearing a headdress of indigo blue feathers.Sunday's gathering comes as Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, a climate-change sceptic, told the United Nations that the world's media were lying about the Amazon, and attacked indigenous leaders as tools of foreign governments.
Francis' hopes of bringing the Catholic faith to far-flung populations will also see the bishops gathered in Rome debate a highly controversial proposal -- allowing married men to become priests.
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