Pope Francis on Wednesday kissed a Ukrainian flag sent to him from Bucha, the Kyiv suburb where mass graves and bodies in the street were discovered after Russian invaders retreated last week.
“Yesterday, precisely from Bucha, they brought me this flag,” the pontiff said, referring to what he called a “massacre” there. “This flag comes from the war, precisely from that war-torn city, Bucha.”
He added, “The recent news of the war in Ukraine, rather than bringing relief and hope, attests instead of new atrocities, like the massacre in Bucha: ever more horrendous cruelty done even against defenseless civilians, women and children.”
While not naming Russia — whose actions in Bucha have led to calls for international war crimes trials — the pope criticized the United Nations’ apparent inaction in the crisis: “In the current war in Ukraine, we are witnessing the impotence of the Organizations of the United Nations,” he said.
Francis made his comments during a general audience at the Vatican’s Paul VI Audience Hall.
He added, “They are victims whose innocent blood cries to Heaven and implores: put an end to this war! Silence the weapons! Stop sowing death and destruction!”
During the weekly audience, Francis also met several Ukrainian children who have found refuge in Italy since the Feb. 24 Russian invasion.
“These children had to escape and come to a foreign land: this is one of the fruits of war,” he said. “Let us not forget them, and let us not forget the Ukrainian people. It is hard to be uprooted from your own land due to war.”
The 85-year-old spiritual leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics has not directly condemned Russia or Russian President Vladimir Putin. On March 25, Francis prayed to “consecrate” Ukraine and Russia, as well as the entire world, “to the immaculate heart of Mary” with a prayer for peace.
• Mark A. Kellner can be reached at mkellner@washingtontimes.com.
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