The Story of Saint Apollonia: The Patron Saint of Dentistry and Oral Health
Pope Francis Calls for Prayers for Peace in Ukraine-Russia Conflict
On Sunday April 18, Pope Francis prayed for a peaceful solution to the Ukraine- Russia conflict.
Speaking after the Regina Coeli prayer, the Holy Father said, “I follow with great concern the events in some areas of eastern Ukraine, where violations of the ceasefire have multiplied in recent months, and I observe with great concern the increase in military activities.”
“I strongly hope an increase in tensions will be avoided, and, on the contrary, that gestures be made that are capable of promoting mutual trust and fostering reconciliation and peace, which are so much needed and so much desired.”
The people asked people to pray for those affected by the conflict saying he was close to them.
The presence of Russian troops along the border with Ukraine has fuelled tensions between Russia and Ukraine.
In an interview with ACI Prensa, head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk said the Catholic community in Ukraine was worried and was praying for a peaceful solution.
“The war in the east of our country that began in 2014 has never stopped,” Shevchuk said. “Now, again, we see long columns of Russian military vehicles heading toward the Ukrainian borders.”
“We are very perplexed and concerned about the increase in the Russian military presence at the gates of our country. It seems that this is the largest militarization to occur since the beginning of the war. This fact cannot go unnoticed by the international community.”
Archbishop Shevchuk said the church in Ukraine has been praying for peace in the region. He appealed to the international community to support efforts to find a solution to the conflict.
"In this period of national fear, our Church wants to be close to her people, sharing pain and concern with her own people. The Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church has always been the Church of the people; in different periods of history we have burdened ourselves with the pain of the Ukrainian people. Today the Lord asks us to do the same,” the archbishop said.
Recommended Stories
More Stories By :
About the Author
Catholic365.com is a Catholic-focused article and information portal from Catholic writers and bloggers who write about things Catholics are interested in, with 3 main categories - Faith, Life and What's Going On, from a perspective consistent with the Magisterium of the Catholic Church. We strive to spread the word of God and the Catholic faith by highlighting both the articles and the writers through internet and social marketing campaigns. Our goal is to engage and support the Catholic faithful to evangelize to all Catholics using modern technology. Our mission originated with Pope Saint John Paul II's call to Catholics for a "New Evangelization".
