HOW HIS HOLINESS, POPE FRANCIS, LEADS PRAYER FOR PEACE IN UKRAINE, SAYS: WAR WOULD BE MADNESS... (2535 hits)
For Immediate Release!
VATICAN CITY, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Sunday led crowds in St. Peter's Square in silent prayer for Ukraine, appealing to the consciences of politicians to seek peace.
"The news from Ukraine is very worrying," said Francis, who has made many appeals for peace in Ukraine and last month led an international day of prayer for peace.
"I entrust every effort for peace to the intercession of the Virgin Mary and the consciences of responsible politicians," he told thousands of people in the square for his weekly blessing and message.
"Let us pray in silence," he said. The crowd went quiet for about half a minute.
Francis spoke a day after U.S. President Joe Biden told Russia's Vladimir Putin an hour-long call that the West would respond decisively to any invasion of Ukraine, adding such a step would produce widespread suffering and isolate Moscow.
Moscow has repeatedly denied it plans to invade and has dismissed such warnings as "hysteria".
"Let us continue to beg the God of peace so that the tensions and threats of war can be overcome through a serious dialogue and that the Normandy Format talks can contribute to this aim," Francis said, according to Reuters, referring to negotiations involving the two countries, facilitated by Germany and France.
"And let's not forget. War is madness," he added.
The pontiff made the comments while speaking to his general audience on Wednesday, also thanking those who took part in his Jan. 26 international day of prayer for peace in Ukraine, Reuters noted.
Russia has amassed military troops near Ukraine in recent months, but has repeatedly denied it will invade. However, Russia has demanded that the country not be let into NATO and asked Western countries to pull military operations out of Eastern Europe.
