Pope Francis has never tired of praying and calling for peace in Ukraine over the past two years, even as the country descends into the “madness” of war.
Written by Isabella Pirro
Pope Francis has consistently and fervently prayed the Lord’s Prayer over the past two years, calling for peace in Ukraine amid the protracted conflict and saying, “War is always a defeat.” He describes this as a “true defeat of humanity”, as only “weapons manufacturers” will be the winners. The Pope has frequently used the word “tormented” to characterize the country, which has been roiled by the roar of bombs since February 24, 2022. Since that fateful day, the Pope has encouraged prayers for peace at every opportunity, with a “broken heart”.
days of prayer
Several days of prayer have been declared over the past two years. The first occurred on January 26, 2022, coinciding with rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine and causing great concern. A second moment of prayer and fasting followed a few months later, on March 2, on Ash Wednesday, when Pope Francis urged the faithful to “feel like brothers” and “beseech God to end the war.” I called out. On March 25, 2022, the Pope made the same plea to the Mother of God when consecrating Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary at the Celebration of Penance in St. Peter’s Basilica. Against the backdrop of “intense wars” that are causing suffering, fear and dismay for many people, the Pope stressed the need for the certainty of God’s presence and divine forgiveness.The following year, on October 27, 2023, another Day of Repentance, Fasting and Prayer We saw Pope Francis imploring Mary’s help in achieving peace. “Mother of Mercy, we ask for mercy! Queen of Peace, we ask for peace! Touch the hearts of those who are held captive by hatred, and convert those who stir up and stir up conflict. Wipe the tears of the children. So many people are crying at this time! – caring for the elderly and the lonely, supporting the injured and sick, supporting the displaced. Protect others and their loved ones, comfort the devastated, and inspire new hope.”
Negotiation claim
The past two years in Ukraine have been marked by tragic junctures of fear and death. April 24, 2022, Easter according to the Julian calendar, coincided with exactly two months since the outbreak of the conflict. One last time, regina coeli Pope Francis called on the nation to “strengthen our prayers for peace and have the courage to say that peace is possible.” Two months later, on June 5, the solemn day of Pentecost, the war in Ukraine reached a dramatic 100-day “turning point.” Pope Francis once again appealed for “real negotiations, real talks towards a ceasefire and a sustainable solution.” He emphasized the importance of listening to the “desperate cries of suffering people” and respecting human life, and declared war “a nightmare that is the denial of God’s dreams.”
Letter to the people of Ukraine
Months passed and journalists continued to write bitter pages of tears and destruction. On August 24, 2022, another dramatic milestone for Ukraine, marking the beginning of six months of conflict, Pope Francis turned his thoughts to the country at the end of Wednesday’s general audience, declaring: “War is madness. ” and prayed. For the prisoners, the injured, the children, the refugees, and the “so many innocents” who are paying the price for this madness. In November, to commemorate nine months of war, Pope Francis wrote a letter to the people of Ukraine, calling them a “noble nation of martyrs” and praising them “in our hearts and prayers.” He guaranteed the closeness of the Ukrainian people. He also warned everyone to “never get tired of war.”
war is destruction
From late 2022 to early 2023, the Pope’s appeal to “silence the weapons” and end this “senseless war” continued relentlessly. On February 24, 2023, exactly one year since the start of the civil war, Pope Francis attends a screening of the documentary “Freedom on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom” by filmmaker Evgeny Afinevsky at the Vatican. did. “Today, he said, is the day we commemorate one year of this war. Let us look to Ukraine, pray for Ukrainians, and be open to the pain. Let us not be ashamed to suffer and cry. Let us do so, for war is destruction, and war always diminishes us.” ”
Black Sea Grain Crisis
Months later, summer has arrived again, still in the shadow of the bomb. Pope Francis never forgot the dire humanitarian situation in Ukraine, worsened by the suspension of grain shipments in the Black Sea. On July 30, 2023, during the Angelus, he reminded the world that “war is destroying everything, even grain,” and that this is because grain is “a gift that nourishes humanity.” He said that means “a grave sin against God.” He called on people to listen to “the cries of millions of our hungry brothers and sisters,” a cry that “reaches to the heavens.”
children’s suffering
Pope Francis recalled the “dimension of martyrdom” in Ukraine on September 6, 2023, during an audience with the bishops of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Synod. Expressing intimacy and participation, he conveyed his “sadness for the helplessness felt in the face of war,” especially since one of the saddest consequences of war is “to rob children of their smiles.” Similar concerns about the “increasingly desperate situation” were expressed by the Pope in a letter to Archbishop Svyatoslav Shevchuk of Kyiv-Halych in early 2024, urging him to prevent Ukraine from becoming a “forgotten war.” expressed his wishes. ” and that the international community can participate in the “search for a peaceful solution.”
Appeal to diplomats
A similar recommendation was echoed during an audience with the Diplomatic Corps accredited by the Holy See on January 8 of this year: “Sadly, the almost two-year-long massive war waged by the Russian Federation against Ukraine After that, the much-desired peace has not materialized.”Despite the huge number of victims and massive destruction, it managed to take root in the hearts and minds of the people. We cannot allow a metastasizing conflict to continue, to the detriment of millions of people. Respect international law and resolve the current tragedy through negotiation. ”
vatican diplomacy
In addition to prayers and exhortations, Pope Francis took personal actions in the name of peace and maintained a balanced approach to those involved. On February 25, 2022, he visited the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Holy See and expressed his concern over the outbreak of war. A few days later, on March 16, he held a virtual meeting with Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia, united in the desire to “stop the flames” of war, and whose motives were “the will to show as their shepherd. “by”. People, the path to peace. ” Over several months, several telephone conversations were held with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and the Pope had an audience with him in May 2023.
The Pope’s efforts to end the conflict also involve Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, archbishop of Bologna and president of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, who visited Russia, the United States and China in 2023 as a papal envoy. Peace, the hope that Pope Francis never gave up.
In addition, two other cardinals, Konrad Krajewski, Pontifical Almoner Michael Cerny, Secretary of State for the Promotion of Integral Human Development, will be sent to Ukraine on behalf of the Pope to bring solidarity and support to refugees and war victims. Ta. Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, also visited Vorzel, Irpin and Buča in May 2023, prayed in front of a mass grave near St. Andrew’s Orthodox Church and, like the Pope, said: It was emphasized as follows. “The brutality and ferocity of war.”