Pope Francis: It is blasphemy to use God's name to justify violence

A message that reads, "Paris will always be" is placed at a memorial along a police cordon set-up close to the Bataclan concert hall on November 15, 2015, two days after a series of deadly attacks. (Photo: AFP)

Vatican City: After the deadly attacks in Paris claimed by Islamic State militants, Pope Francis said on Sunday that using God's name to justify violence was sacrilege.

"I want to firmly repeat that the path of violence and hate does not resolve humanity's problems, and using the name of God to justify this path is blasphemy," the pope told thousands of pilgrims in St. Peter's Square.