Pope Francis, speaking in St. Peter’s Square at his weekly general audience on November 23, said that Ukrainians today are suffering from the “torment of aggression” and compared Russia’s war in Ukraine to the “horrible genocide” of the 1930s, organized by the Soviet Holodomor. This is reported by Reuters.
“This Saturday marks the anniversary of the terrible Holodomor genocide, the extermination by famine of 1932-33, which was artificially caused by Stalin,” he said. from aggression”.
The Pope’s position on the Russian invasion of Ukraine
During the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine, the Pope was criticized several times for his actions or words regarding the war. First, Francis said that refugees from Ukraine are better accepted in the world than from other countries.
Before the Catholic Easter, the Vatican decided to organize a symbolic reconciliation of Ukrainians and Russians. During the Way of the Cross in the Coliseum, a Ukrainian and a Russian woman were to carry the cross. The idea met with violent indignation in society and among believers, as well as Ukrainian diplomats.
On August 24, Pope Francis said that the daughter of Kremlin ideologist Oleksandr Dugin, Daria, who was blown up in the suburbs of Moscow, is an “innocent victim of war.” Ambassador of Ukraine to the Vatican Andriy Yurash expressed his disappointment with the words of the pontiff.
Controversy with Pope Francis’ declarations on Russia-Ukraine war
On August 25, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine invited the Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine, Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas, to express his disappointment with the words of Pope Francis about the death of Daria, the daughter of the Kremlin ideologist Oleksandr Dugin.
On August 30, the Vatican reacted to the criticism of Pope Francis , because of his words about the murder of the daughter of Russian propagandist Alexander Dugin, Daria. They emphasized that the Pope’s words should be interpreted as a voice of values, not a political position.
The Pope condemned Russian missile attack on Ukraine
On November 16, Pope Francis condemned the latest wave of Russian missile attacks on Ukraine. The pontiff called for a ceasefire to prevent the risk of escalation and asked God to “hurry up” to end the war.
Later, in an interview with La Stampa, he stated that the Vatican is ready to do everything possible to act as a mediator and put an end to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
