Pope Francis releases his prayer intentions for March

'How many people are being persecuted because of their faith...?'

Pope Francis' March prayer intention video was released on March 2, 1017.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - In the video, Two men and a woman stand in what appears to be a police line-up.

They pose with signs, and their pictures are taken at different angles while Pope Francis narrates.

"How many people are being persecuted because of their faith, forced to abandon their homes, their places of worship, their lands, their loved ones!

"They are persecuted and killed because they are Christians. Those who persecute them make no distinction between the religious communities to which they belong."

The people in the video face the camera and lift their signs, reading, "Protestant," "Catholic" and "Orthodox."

"I ask you," the Pontiff continues, "how many of you pray for persecuted Christians? Do it with me, that they may be supported by the prayers and material help of all the Churches and communities."

The video was released days after humanitarian groups had reported over 1,000 Christians fled their homes in el-Arish, Syria for fear of their lives.

Many have endured years of persecution, but now an ISIS-linked group threatens more than just their livelihood - it threatens their lives.

Pope Francis has long called for prayer and action to help victims of religious persecution and, for the month of March, he has decided to focus primarily on their plight.

Please take time each day to ask God to protect his people and to free those persecuted for their beliefs from further threats, fear and harm.

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