The Pope sends a message on the occasion of an interreligious pilgrimage of solidarity for Ukraine organized by the Elijah Interfaith Institute.
By Vatican News staff reporter
In his message, the Pope expressed his spiritual closeness to all those taking part in the pilgrimage “as you implore the priceless gift of peace for the beloved Ukrainian people.”
“The present moment leaves us deeply troubled because it is marked by the forces of evil.”
The week-long visit, which concluded on Tuesday, took in the countries of Poland, Ukraine, and Romania.
The highlight of the pilgrimage was a public event, held on April 12, in the main theatre of Chernivtsi in western Ukraine, in which speeches by religious leaders were accompanied by testimonies of Ukrainian refugees.
The suffering of the innocent
Pope Francis highlighted the suffering “inflicted on so many frail and defenceless persons,” and recalled the many civilians massacred, the innocent victims among the young, and the desperate plight of women and children.
“All this troubles our consciences and obliges us not to keep silent,” he wrote, “but instead to speak out forcefully in order to demand, in the name of God, the end of these abominable actions.”
Quoting from his own encyclical Fratelli tutti, the Pope decried the atrocious and grievous events that the world has witnessed, which confirm that “war is a failure of politics and of humanity, a shameful capitulation, a stinging defeat before the forces of evil.”
Prayer and fraternity
Pope Francis thanked the pilgrimage participants “for the initiative of this moment of prayer and fraternity between followers of the different religions,” which he said, “contributes to strengthening the sense of responsibility of believers before a war that contradicts all those efforts made in past decades to build a world with fewer weapons and greater peace.”
He also prayed that government leaders, “especially those who appeal to the sacred principles of religion,” would hear the word of God that says: “I have plans for peace and not for evil.”
Concluding his message, the Pope expressed his heartfelt gratitude to all those who in these recent days “have shown themselves true neighbours to the great numbers of people forced to abandon their homes and their families.”
