?Pope Francis addresses Myanmar's Buddhist monks, avoids using the term 'Rohingya' again

Pope Francis addressed a gathering of Myanmar's Buddhist monks today and urged them to "surmount all forms of misunderstanding, intolerance, prejudice and hatred".

Pope Francis has avoided using the term "Rohingya" during his visit to Myanmar, following the advice of Vatican insiders who feared it could set off a diplomatic incident and turn Myanmar's military and government against minority Christians, Reuters reported.

Vatican insiders also feel hardline Buddhist monks could turn against the Pope and Christians living in Myanmar if the Pope pushes too hard on the Rohingya crisis.

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In his speech to the Buddhist monks the Pope said: "If we are to be united, as is our purpose, we need to surmount all forms of misunderstanding, intolerance, prejudice and hatred".

Prayers were then read by members of the congregation in the Shan, Chin, Karen, Kachin and Kayan languages.

The prayer in Karen read: "For the leaders of Myanmar, that they may always foster peace and reconciliation through dialogue and understanding, thus promoting an end to conflict in the states of Kachin, Rakhine, and Shan, we pray to the lord."

The Pope is on a four-day visit to Myanmar which has been racked by the Rohingya crisis and has been severely criticised the world over for it handling of the refugee issue.

The Pope had met Myanmar's military chief General Min Aung Hlaing andNobel peace laureateAung San Suu Kyiin the last two days and appealed for peace and calm amid the spiralling Rohingya crisis.

Reuters saidVatican sources feel the Pope'strip to Myanmar was decided too hastily.

Pope Francis will leave for Bangladesh on Thursday, where he will meet a group of Rohingya refugees in the capital, Dhaka.