The war in Ukraine arose in a speech by the head of the Catholic Church.
Erja Tuomaala,
Teemu Juhola
17.4. 10:34 • Updated April 17th. 14:48
Pope Franciscus in his traditional speech, Urbi et orbi, called on world leaders to listen to demands for peace in Ukraine “during the Easter war.”
The pope criticized Russia’s attack on Ukraine, noting Ukraine’s brutal and insensitive conflict.
– Let the war tear Ukraine to peace. The country has experienced violence and destruction in a brutal war.
– We have all seen far too much blood and violence. Our hearts are full of fear. Many of our sisters and brothers have been forced to flee the bombing, he said.
In his speech, the Pope also drew attention to other conflicts in the world. In addition to Ukraine, he called for peace in Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Lebanon and Syria.
About 50,000 people were listening to the 85-year-old pope’s speech.
The speech and the fair held earlier in the Vatican were held this year under looser corona restrictions. In the previous two years, the public has not been able to attend the main party in large numbers due to the pandemic epidemic.
At the night fair, the pope said that “the horrors of the war have affected the gestures of peace for three days.” Among other things, the mayor of Melitopol and three Ukrainian MPs took part in the St. Peter’s Church fair. The pope has not directly condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but he has previously called for a ceasefire during the Saints.