Vatican City (ZENIT) -- Pope Francis has condemned the terrorist attacks that killed 12 people in Paris yesterday.

At this morning’s daily Mass at Casa Santa Marta, the Holy Father decried, “The attack yesterday in Paris makes us think on so much cruelty - human cruelty - to so much terrorism, be it isolated terrorism, be it State-sponsored terrorism.”

“But what cruelty man is capable of!”

The Holy Father concluded, asking those gathered at the Mass to pray for the victims of the cruely, “So Many!” and saying, “And we also ask for those who are cruel so that the Lord may change their heart.”

The Holy Father also called on the faithful to pray for the victims on his @Pontifex Twitter account. The Pope tweeted "#PrayersforParis" and was retweeted by almost 5,000 followers in less than 2 hours. 

Two Islamic extremists armed with guns stormed the offices of "Charlie Hebdo" in Paris, opened fire, and murdered 12.

Sources believe the attack was in retaliation to satirical magazine’s caricatures of the prophet Mohammad, which were printed three years ago.

Before the attacks, a cartoon of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had been tweeted.

In addition to the Pope’s words in the homily, the Holy See and the bishops' conference of France also released statements condemning the attack.  

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On ZENIT's website:

For the Holy See's statement, go to: 

http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/holy-see-statement-on-terrorist-attack-in-paris

For the full text of the French Bishop's Conference statement on the attack, go to: 

http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/french-bishops-statement-on-terrorist-attack-in-paris