Some more words of wisdom and truth from Pope Francis:

In Sunday’s Angelus prayer, Pope Francis called for the end of all forms of torture. The Pope condemned the practice ahead of the United Nations’ International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on June 26.

Pope Francis’ Angelus address on Sunday focused on charity and forgiveness prior to the closing prayer, reports Vatican Radio. Closing the Angelus prayer, the Pope recognized the UN’s day for supporting victims of torture and called for an end of its practice. Francis said, “In this circumstance, I reiterate the firm condemnation of all forms of torture,” and called on Christians to end the practice, saying it was a “mortal sin.” According to the Associated Press, the junta which ruled Argentina from 1976 until 1983 used torture and kidnappings against left-wing political opponents. According to the BBC, 10,000 to 30,000 people were killed or went missing during this time.

The UN’s International Day in Support of Victims of Torture was enacted on Dec. 12, 1997. In his message for 2013, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, “I urge all Member States to accede to and fully implement the Convention against Torture and support the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture. Let us work together to end torture throughout the world and ensure that countries provide reparation for victims.”