Pope Francis welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the Vatican for the third time and lamented that many Ukrainian children have lost their smiles.
Deborah Castellano Luboff
Pope Francis met for the third time with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the Vatican as the war in Ukraine continues to claim countless lives.
According to the Holy See’s Press Office, Pope Francis spoke to President Zelensky about the suffering of children in Ukraine, emphasizing that many of them have lost their smiles.
The 35-minute meeting took place Friday morning at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican. The meeting between the two sides follows a bilateral meeting held in Italy’s Puglia region on June 14 in conjunction with the G7, and a meeting in the Vatican on May 13, 2023, in the wake of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This will be the fourth time. February 8, 2020.
Call for peace and end suffering
A separate statement from the Holy See’s press office said the meeting at the State Department focused on “the current state of the war and the humanitarian situation in Ukraine” and “ways to bring an end to the war.” This will lead to a fair and stable peace in this country. ”
In addition, the statement said, “a number of issues concerning religious life in the country were also considered.”
The President of Ukraine then met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Vatican Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations.
Separately, in a post on X after the meeting, Pope Francis said, “Every nation has the right to exist in peace and security. must be respected and guaranteed through peace and dialogue.” Hatred brings only death and destruction to everyone. ”
Pope Francis meets with Ukrainian President Zelenskiy
exchange of gifts
As is customary, the two leaders exchanged gifts, and the Pope exchanged greetings with the delegation accompanying President Zelenskiy. The President of Ukraine presented Pope Francis with an oil painting entitled “Bucha Massacre. The Story of Marichka.”
Meanwhile, Pope Francis presented President Zelenskiy with a bronze casting of a flower inscribed with the words “Peace is a fragile flower.”
The Pope also gave the president this year’s message of peace, several papal documents, a book on Statio Orbis, edited by Vatican Publishers on March 27, 2020, and a copy of the book “Greece in Ukraine Persecuted for the Truth”. “Catholics Behind the Iron Curtain” was handed out. . ”
Pope Francis meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the Vatican
Constant closeness with Ukraine
Pope Francis has made countless appeals for an end to the war and the suffering since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and has offered the Holy See any support for peace.
The Pope also dispatched representatives and envoys to deliver ambulances, medical supplies and aid to the suffering population.
