In an interview with Corriere della Sera in early May, Pope Francis stated that he was ready to go to Moscow to meet Russian president, Vladimir Putin, at any time to negotiate a ceasefire in Ukraine. Back in March, he directed Vatican secretary of state, Pietro Cardinal Parolin, to express his willingness to go the Kremlin. However, Russia has yet to respond.
The war has been going on 11 weeks since Russia forces invaded multiple Ukraine on multiple fronts on February 24. More than thee million people have been displaced and many children been orphaned. Neighbouring countries such as Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Croatia have received numerous refugees fleeing from the war.
Even though the pope has been given the cold shoulder and his message has seemingly been left unread by Russia, he has not given up and has continued to request a meeting. He has courageously called for a worldwide effort to stop the war and seek peace by all means possible. He also criticised that this war was aimed “to test arsenals.” In early March, the he sent the head of the Office of Papal Charities, Konrad Cardinal Krajewski, to Ukraine to actively offer care and humanitarian aid.
Pope Francis ceaseless call was eventually answered on May 7 when the Security Council of the United Nations issued a statement on the—its first since the start of the conflict. It expressed “deep concern regarding the maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine” and stated that “all Member States have undertaken…the obligation to settle their international disputes by peaceful means.” UN general secretary, António Guterres, welcomed the statement and said the UN would continue to seek peace.
While it was suggested that the pope visit Kyiv first, he insisted that he first go to Moscow to meet the Russian president. He added, “But I am also a priest, what can I do? I do what I can. If Putin would only open the door…’
Being on the other side of the globe, we in Hong Kong may well ask ourselves what we can do for Ukraine. Besides offering financial and material donations through international aid organisations, we can also pray for peace. There is power in prayer. Faith is the strongest source of power for Christians and if we believe, God will grant peace to Ukraine in his mercy.
Therefore, Pope Francis specially exhorts the faithful to say a daily rosary in the Month of Mary to ask the Holy Mother for world peace: “Let us not surrender to the logic of violence, to the perverse spiral of weapons. May the path of dialogue and peace be taken!” SE
