Ukraine slashes participation of Ukrainian and Russian in Rome procession

The parliamentarian from the Eurosolidarity party Vladimir Viatrovich criticized the religious procession in Rome, in which a Russian and a Ukrainian woman took part.

“Christ could forgive even Pontius Pilate. But we honor only the former, not both. The latter is still only an executioner,” Viatrovich wrote on Facebook.

On the night of April 16, a religious procession took place in Rome, at the end of which the Ukrainian Irina and the Russian Albina carried the cross. Both women have been living in Italy for a long time, working in a Roman hospice.

This initiative symbolized the call of the Catholic Church for the reconciliation of the two nations.

The people's deputy's words evoked approval from users on Facebook.

“Not a single sane Ukrainian woman would stand next to a Muscovite,” commented Yuriy Pinchuk.

“Senseless action. It's the same as making a German and a Jew carry the cross during World War II,” said Oksana Lishchuk.

The UGCC also criticized the religious procession in Rome.

According to the head of the UGCC, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, such an initiative is “untimely, ambiguous and does not take into account the context of Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine.”

“For the Greek Catholics of Ukraine, the texts and gestures of the 13th station of this Cross Way are incomprehensible and even offensive, especially in the context of the expected second, even bloodier offensive of Russian troops on our cities and villages,” Shevchuk said.

As the UOJ previously reported, Russian and Ukrainian families will carry the cross on Good Friday.

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