An animal welfare group has called upon the Pope to refrain from releasing his doves of peace after two were attacked in mid-air after a service on Sunday.
The two white doves were released by children standing alongside Pope Francis from the Apostolic Palace and were seized upon by a seagull and crow in front of tens of thousands of people in St Peter’s Square.
The Pope had been appealing for peace in Ukraine before the birds were set free.
The doves were attacked by a crow and seagull
“Do not use more animals and sacrifice their lives to outmoded traditions,” the Italian animal protection agency ENPA – Ente Nazionale Protezione Animali – said in a statement published by Italian newspaper Gazzetta del Sud.
The ENPA points out the doves used in these ceremonies are born in captivity and cannot cope with predators in the same way as wild creatures can.
It said: “They cannot even use camouflage; their white colour (is) very eye-catching in nature,” adding freeing doves in Rome is like "condemning them to certain death."
The Associated Press writes the Vatican did not reply to a query as to whether it might abandon the practice.
Peace Doves Attacked
(01 of11)
Pope Francis looks at two children as they free doves during the Angelus prayer he celebrated from the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014. Pope Francis has called for "constructive dialogue" between Ukraine's authorities and its people, urging all to renounce violence in the upheaval convulsing their country. Speaking from a window of the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican to thousands of faithful in St. Peter's Square, Francis said he was praying for Ukraine, especially for those who have lost their lives in recent days. He appealed on Sunday for "the spirit of peace and the search for the common good" to prevail in the eastern European nation. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) (credit:AP)
(02 of11)
Pope Francis looks at two children as they free doves during the Angelus prayer he celebrated from the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014. Pope Francis has called for "constructive dialogue" between Ukraine's authorities and its people, urging all to renounce violence in the upheaval convulsing their country. Speaking from a window of the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican to thousands of faithful in St. Peter's Square, Francis said he was praying for Ukraine, especially for those who have lost their lives in recent days. He appealed on Sunday for "the spirit of peace and the search for the common good" to prevail in the eastern European nation. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) (credit:AP)
(03 of11)
A dove which was freed by children with Pope Francis during his Angelus prayer, is attacked by a black crow in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014. Two white doves were sent fluttering into the air as a peace gesture by Italian children flanking Pope Francis Sunday at an open studio window of the Apostolic Palace, as tens of thousands of people watched in St. Peter's Square below. After the pope and the two children left the windows, a seagull and a big black crow quickly swept down, attacking the doves, including one which had briefly perched on a windowsill on a lower floor. One dove lost some feathers as it broke free of the gull, while the crow pecked repeatedly at the other dove. The doves' fate was not immediately known. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) (credit:AP)
(04 of11)
A dove which was freed by children flanked by Pope Francis during the Angelus prayer, is attacked by a seagull in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014. Symbols of peace have come under attack at the Vatican. Two white doves were sent fluttering into the air as a peace gesture by Italian children flanking Pope Francis Sunday at an open studio window of the Apostolic Palace, as tens of thousands of people watched in St. Peter's Square below. After the pope and the two children left the windows, a seagull and a big black crow quickly swept down, attacking the doves, including one which had briefly perched on a windowsill on a lower floor. One dove lost some feathers as it broke free of the gull, while the crow pecked repeatedly at the other dove. The doves' fate was not immediately known. While speaking at the window, Francis appealed for peace to prevail in Ukraine. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) (credit:AP)
(05 of11)
A dove which was freed by children flanked by Pope Francis during the Angelus prayer, is chased by a black crow in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014. Symbols of peace have come under attack at the Vatican. Two white doves were sent fluttering into the air as a peace gesture by Italian children flanking Pope Francis Sunday at an open studio window of the Apostolic Palace, as tens of thousands of people watched in St. Peter's Square below. After the pope and the two children left the windows, a seagull and a big black crow quickly swept down, attacking the doves, including one which had briefly perched on a windowsill on a lower floor. One dove lost some feathers as it broke free of the gull, while the crow pecked repeatedly at the other dove. The doves' fate was not immediately known. While speaking at the window, Francis appealed for peace to prevail in Ukraine. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) (credit:AP)
(06 of11)
A dove which was freed by children flanked by Pope Francis during the Angelus prayer, is attacked by a seagull in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014. Symbols of peace have come under attack at the Vatican. Two white doves were sent fluttering into the air as a peace gesture by Italian children flanking Pope Francis Sunday at an open studio window of the Apostolic Palace, as tens of thousands of people watched in St. Peter's Square below. After the pope and the two children left the windows, a seagull and a big black crow quickly swept down, attacking the doves, including one which had briefly perched on a windowsill on a lower floor. One dove lost some feathers as it broke free of the gull, while the crow pecked repeatedly at the other dove. The doves' fate was not immediately known. While speaking at the window, Francis appealed for peace to prevail in Ukraine. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) (credit:AP)
(07 of11)
A dove which was freed by children flanked by Pope Francis during the Angelus prayer, is attacked by a seagull in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014. Symbols of peace have come under attack at the Vatican. Two white doves were sent fluttering into the air as a peace gesture by Italian children flanking Pope Francis Sunday at an open studio window of the Apostolic Palace, as tens of thousands of people watched in St. Peter's Square below. After the pope and the two children left the windows, a seagull and a big black crow quickly swept down, attacking the doves, including one which had briefly perched on a windowsill on a lower floor. One dove lost some feathers as it broke free of the gull, while the crow pecked repeatedly at the other dove. The doves' fate was not immediately known. While speaking at the window, Francis appealed for peace to prevail in Ukraine. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) (credit:AP)
(08 of11)
A dove which was freed by children flanked by Pope Francis during the Angelus prayer, is attacked by a seagull in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014. Symbols of peace have come under attack at the Vatican. Two white doves were sent fluttering into the air as a peace gesture by Italian children flanking Pope Francis Sunday at an open studio window of the Apostolic Palace, as tens of thousands of people watched in St. Peter's Square below. After the pope and the two children left the windows, a seagull and a big black crow quickly swept down, attacking the doves, including one which had briefly perched on a windowsill on a lower floor. One dove lost some feathers as it broke free of the gull, while the crow pecked repeatedly at the other dove. The doves' fate was not immediately known. While speaking at the window, Francis appealed for peace to prevail in Ukraine. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) (credit:AP)
(09 of11)
FOUR PICTURES COMBO - A dove which was freed by children flanked by Pope Francis during the Angelus prayer, is attacked by a seagull in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014. Symbols of peace have come under attack at the Vatican. Two white doves were sent fluttering into the air as a peace gesture by Italian children flanking Pope Francis Sunday at an open studio window of the Apostolic Palace, as tens of thousands of people watched in St. Peter's Square below. After the pope and the two children left the windows, a seagull and a big black crow quickly swept down, attacking the doves, including one which had briefly perched on a windowsill on a lower floor. One dove lost some feathers as it broke free of the gull, while the crow pecked repeatedly at the other dove. The doves' fate was not immediately known. While speaking at the window, Francis appealed for peace to prevail in Ukraine. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) (credit:AP)
(10 of11)
A dove which was freed by children flanked by Pope Francis during the Angelus prayer, is chased by a black crow in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014. Symbols of peace have come under attack at the Vatican. Two white doves were sent fluttering into the air as a peace gesture by Italian children flanking Pope Francis Sunday at an open studio window of the Apostolic Palace, as tens of thousands of people watched in St. Peter's Square below. After the pope and the two children left the windows, a seagull and a big black crow quickly swept down, attacking the doves, including one which had briefly perched on a windowsill on a lower floor. One dove lost some feathers as it broke free of the gull, while the crow pecked repeatedly at the other dove. The doves' fate was not immediately known. While speaking at the window, Francis appealed for peace to prevail in Ukraine. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) (credit:AP)
(11 of11)
In this picture taken Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014, a dove which was freed by children with Pope Francis during his Angelus prayer, is attacked by a black crow in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican. Animal rights groups are appealing to Pope Francis to end a practice of releasing doves over St. Peter's Square, a day after a pair of the peace symbols were attacked by a seagull and crow. The National Animal Protection Agency published an open letter Monday reminding Francis that domesticated doves are easy prey for predators like gulls living in the wild. Gulls nest atop the colonnade of St. Peter's Square, far from natural seaside habitats, but scavenge garbage for food in Rome. The agency said freeing doves in Rome is like "condemning them to certain death." Pro-animal advocate and ex-tourism minister Michela Brambilla told The AP she was confident, Francis, with his "extraordinary love" for all creatures, would reconsider. The Vatican didn't immediately comment on the dove attack. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) (credit:AP)