Day after March for Our Lives, Pope Francis uses Palm Sunday sermon to urge youths to lead

John Bacon | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption 'March for Our Lives' rallies across the world More than 800 rallies took place around the world Saturday in solidarity with the 'March for Our Lives' rally in the United States.

One day after the March for Our Lives drew more than a million people to rallies around the world, Pope Francis used a Palm Sunday sermon in Vatican City to mark World Youth Day and encourage young people to lead.

The pope urged youths to make sure their voices are heard.

"Dear young people, the joy that Jesus awakens in you is a source of anger and even irritation to some, since a joyful young person is hard to manipulate," Francis said. "The temptation to silence young people has always existed."

Francis warned that an effort would be made to make "invisible" or "anesthetize" young people who demand change.

"There are many ways to sedate them, to keep them from getting involved, to make their dreams flat and dreary, petty and plaintive," the pope said. "Dear young people, you have it in you to shout."

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He quoted a Bible passage where Jesus responds to demands that he silence disciples decrying injustice: "If these were silent, the very stones would cry out."

Saturday's marches were held in every U.S. state and in scores of international cities demanding an end to gun violence. The rallies were the brainchild of a handful of student survivors from the shooting rampage at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. Seventeen students and staff were killed in the Feb. 14 shooting spree.

The student survivors have been demanding safer schools — and a ban on assault weapons similar to the gun police say suspect Nikolas Cruz, 19, a former student at the school, used in the Valentine's Day attack.

Several of the students spoke at the massive rally held in Washington, D.C. Senior Emma Gonzalez read the names of the victims who died at her school. She then stood quietly for several minutes before resuming her speech.

“Since the time that I came out here, it has been 6 minutes and 20 seconds,” Gonzalez said. “The shooter has ceased shooting, and will soon abandon his rifle, blend in with the students as they escape, and walk free for an hour before arrest. Fight for your lives before it’s someone else’s job.”

In Rome, students rallied near the U.S. Embassy with signs that included "Protect People, not Guns."

"It is up to you not to keep quiet," the pope said in his sermon. "Even if others keep quiet, if we older people and leaders — so often corrupt — keep quiet, if the whole world keeps quiet and loses its joy, I ask you: Will you cry out?

"Please, make that choice before the stones themselves cry out."