The Pope’s commitment to the search for peace –
“It is not easy” to restore peace to Ukraine, the Holy See conceded after the diplomatic mission in Kyiv. But it is the only viable way in which the Pope could play a fundamental role. In his last Regina Caeli prayer
Pope Francis
asked God to infuse
“the spirit of peace to the leaders of the nations”
. Meanwhile by Cascia, his closest collaborator, the Vatican Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro
Parolin
expressed the hope that “
Negotiations will start as soon as possible
and we can finally achieve the peace we so long for.” The Holy See remains available to facilitate the process.
“The Pope could continue to play a very important role in this conflict and in its resolution. There are spaces.”
said Vatican Foreign Minister Monsignor Paul Richard
Gallagher
at the end of his mission in Ukraine.
Diplomacy at work –
According to Zelensky, it is up to diplomacy to resolve things, “the parties to the conflict need to come around a table to negotiate,” reports the Vatican foreign minister, who reaffirmed the availability of a role for the Holy See. The same
Gallagher
after seeing the injuries on the field, the material ones but also the pains of a nation struggling to find a way out says that
“Ukraine must defend itself and for this it must receive help, including military assistance”
. But he calls for avoiding “an arms race”; rather, “it is necessary that Ukraine be included in all peace initiatives”.
Deportees in focus –
The Vatican, in these hours, could be among the actors seeking, in accordance with international law, a return to Ukrainian territory of the people, civilians and soldiers who were deported to Russia or Russia-controlled after the evacuation of the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol territories.
“We count on the active participation of the Holy See in the liberation of Ukrainian citizens deported from Russia and imprisoned on Russian territory”
he had hoped after meeting Gallagher on Friday
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba
. And it is perhaps no coincidence that after meeting Pope Francis on May 11, the wives of the soldiers of the Azov Battalion have been in Istanbul in the last few hours to also ask the Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew for a commitment.
China dossier –
On the table of the Vatican Secretariat of State, apart from Ukraine, there is another important foreign dossier, that of China, especially after the arrest of Card. Joseph Zen, later released on bail. “I follow the often complex lives and events of the faithful and pastors with attention and sympathy,” said the Pope at the Regina Caeli prayer with hope
“May the Church in China fulfill its mandate to preach the gospel to all
and thus also makes a positive contribution to the spiritual and material progress of society”.