Pope to the priest from Ukraine: Pray for aggressors

During a meeting with Catholic priests and seminarians in Rome, answering a question from a RCC priest about Russia's war against Ukraine, Pope Francis called on the faithful to pray for the aggressor, the Vatican News reports.

A Catholic priest from Ukraine touched on the topic of Russian aggression and asked what role the Catholic Church should play in relation to the territories affected by the warfare, and what the task of the priests in these regions is.

The Pope responded that "the Holy Mother Church is the Mother of all peoples" and "when children fall out, the mother suffers."

“The Church must suffer in the face of war, because war is the destruction of Her children. Just as a mother suffers from disagreements between children when they argue or do not talk to each other – these are small domestic wars – so the Mother Church must suffer in the face of the war going on in your country. She must suffer, cry and pray,” said the Pope.

He also noted that the Church "should help people who have suffered greatly, those who have lost their homes, those who were wounded in the war, and those who died."

The Pope once again reminded the Ukrainian priest that “the Church is a mother, and its role, first of all, is to be close to those who suffer,” and emphasized that “mothers are also creative in the cause of peace, at certain moments they try to reconcile.” “In this case it is not easy, but the Mother Church has an open heart…,” the Pope continued.

“It is true that we have a Motherland and we must defend it. But we need to go further, beyond this, towards a more universal love,” the pontiff stressed.

The Pope is sure that “Mother Church should be close to all the victims”, moreover, “she should pray for the repentance of the aggressor, the one who came to destroy our homeland and kill our relatives.” “Are we praying for this? For this is the behavior of a Christian,” the head of the Vatican stressed.

“Pray for the aggressors, too,” the pope said, addressing the priest from Ukraine, “because they are victims just like you.”

“Their wounds are not visible – they are in their souls, but you should pray, pray that the Lord turns them and peace arrives. That's what's important," the pontiff summed up.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that Pope Francis invited the families of Ukrainian and Russian women, who work together in the hospice of Rome, to take part in the religious procession in the Colosseum.

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