Pope Francis has urged fellow Christians to pray that God’s compassion can “convert” Isis jihadists, while admitting that prayer “is not a magic wand”.

The head of the Catholic Church used his weekly address in Saint Peter’s Square to ask for “eternal rest for the victims” of terror atrocities and “consolidation to their relatives”.

Pope Francis also highlighted his belief that God can “convert the hearts of those who sow death and destruction” and condemned the actions of Islamic State in killing “defenceless civilians”.

The comments came after Isis attacks on the Syrian towns of Jableh and Tartus on Monday, in which 160 people were killed. Pope Francis said the country was “beloved” in his speech.

“It is the duty of everyone to protect children, most of all those exposed to a high risk of exploitation, trafficking and deviant behaviours,” he said.

The Pontiff concluded by acknowledging that “prayer is not a magic wand, but is our daily bread, our powerful weapon and the staff for our journey”.

In January 2015, the Pope prayed for the perpetrators as well as the victims of the Charlie Hebdo terror shooting, asking “that the Lord might change their heart”.

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Last week Cardinal Kurt Koch, a prominent Vatican official, said that “Christians have a mission to convert” all those except Jewish people, including Islamic extremists.

It was announced today that Pope Francis has been invited to address the United Arab Emirates’ Islamic council in efforts to improve relations between Christians and Muslims.