Addressing the thousands gathered in St. Peter's Square, Leo XIV declared: I follow with pain the news about constant attacks on numerous Ukrainian cities, including Kiev. They cause casualties and injuries, including among children, and massive damage to civilian infrastructure, leaving families without a home as the cold intensifies.
— I assure the people who have been so severely tried that I am close to them. We cannot get used to war and destruction. Let us pray together for a just and stable peace in tortured Ukraine, the Pope emphasized.
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What did the Pope say about the war in Ukraine?
What were the effects of the attacks on Ukrainian cities?
What was the message of the Polish bishops about?
How did the Pope address Poles?
In his reflections before the prayer, he recalled the words of Jesus: “And do not be afraid when you hear about wars and upheavals.”
— His call is very timely – unfortunately, indeed, every day we receive news of conflicts, natural disasters and persecution that plague millions of men and women. But Jesus' words announce, both in the face of these torments and in the indifference that tries to ignore them, that the aggression of evil cannot destroy the hope of those who trust in it, explained Leo XIV.
He added: – The darker the hour, like the night, the more, like the sun, faith shines.
He recalled that Jesus said that because of him, many would experience violence and betrayal, but they would also have the opportunity to bear witness.
— The persecution of Christians is carried out not only by weapons and abuse, but also by words, namely by lies and ideological manipulation. Especially when we are oppressed by these physical and moral wrongs, we must bear witness to the truth that saves the world, to the justice that saves peoples from oppression, to the hope that shows everyone the path to peace, declared Leo XIV.
He appealed: – Let us not remain powerless in the face of suffering.
He encouraged spiritual communication with those who suffer because of the name of Jesus.
He recalled that Christians are discriminated against and persecuted in various parts of the world; he mentioned Bangladesh, Nigeria, Mozambique, Sudan.
The Pope turned to Poles
Addressing Poles, the Pope referred to Tuesday's 60th anniversary of the message of Polish bishops to German bishops, addressed in Rome at the end of the Second Vatican Council. The letter included the phrase: “we grant and ask for forgiveness.”
Leo XIV said: – I greet Polish pilgrims, commemorating the anniversary of the message of reconciliation addressed by Polish bishops to German bishops after World War II.
