OP spokesman on the Pope’s words: We have to ask ourselves – what is RCC?

The OP wonders what the Catholic Church is. Photo: vaticannews

The OP wonders what the Catholic Church is. Photo: vaticannews

The spokesperson of the Presidential Office, Mykhailo Podolyak, in an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, stated that after the Pope's words praising the Russian Empire, one should wonder – what is the Catholic Church?

"If we assess the Pope's phrases impartially, we will see that they are unequivocal encouragement of aggressive imperialism, applause for the bloody idea of the 'Russian world,' which implies the cruel destruction of the freedom and way of life of other people. Francis encourages Putin's misanthropic ideology, his inclination towards genocide," Podolyak said.

According to him, "we have to ask ourselves what the Catholic Church is, what Christianity is, what the blood-soaked Ukraine of innocent victims is."

Podolyak believes that the Pope "once again became a tool of Russian propaganda." "It is precisely by relying on the triad of Peter-Catherine-Stalin that the Russian army comes to kill Ukrainians. The Pope glorifies them, and Putin uses them to destroy our identity," Podolyak concluded.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that Zelensky invited the pope to come to any city in Ukraine.

Lithuanian bishop: Ukraine is no model for believers' rights

Vicar of Vilnius Diocese voices concern over attempts to import Ukraine's religious conflict into Lithuania.

Hundreds of believers honor St. Alexis of Carpatho-Russia in Khust Eparchy

At the St. Nicholas Monastery in the village of Iza-Karputlash, Metropolitan Mark of Khust led a festive liturgy, concelebrated by six metropolitans, five archbishops and three bishops.

Court upholds UOC parish appeal in Voloshky over OCU switch dispute

The Northern Commercial Court of Appeal has upheld the appeal of the St. Nicholas parish of the UOC in the village of Voloshky, Volyn region, in a dispute over a transfer to the OCU.

Zelensky says 9.5M Ukrainians expected to return home from abroad

Zelensky stated that 9.5 million Ukrainians who left abroad are expected to return home to rebuild the country.

German theologian criticizes Ukrainian authorities' pressure on UOC

German theologian Regina Elsner has said that pressure from the authorities on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church places an additional heavy burden on believers during the war.

Poland bans entry to Lviv official over SS Galicia and UPA glorification

Polish Foreign Minister initiates entry ban on Lviv Regional Council deputy who proposed declaring 2027 the Year of the UPA.