Pope calls for day of prayer of peace over Ukraine crisis

Pope Francis in his weekly prayer on Sunday called for an international day of "prayer for peace" on Jan. 26 in a call to stop the Ukraine crisis from worsening.

"I am following with concern the increase in tensions that threaten to inflict a new blow to peace in Ukraine and put the security of Europe in doubt, with even more vast repercussions," he told those in attendance.

He appealed to the "people of good will" to pray on Wednesday that all political initiatives "be for the service of human fraternity" instead of partisan interests. The Vatican, however, gave no immediate details on how the Pope would mark the day.