Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill had a conversation on Wednesday, March 16 about the war between Russia and Ukraine. Francis and Kirill agreed that “Wars are always unjust since it is the people of God who pay.War is never the way.”
Newsroom (17/03/2022 9:44 AM, Gaudium Press) According to an official announcement by the Orthodox Patriarchate of Moscow, Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill had a conversation by video conference on Wednesday, March 16.
The topic of the conversation was the war in Ukraine and the “bilateral cooperation” of the countries involved in the conflict.
Also present at the conversation were Cardinal Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Unity among Christians, alongside Francis, and Metropolitan Hilarion Volokolamsk, head of foreign relations of the Orthodox Patriarchate, alongside Kirill.
A communiqué expressed the satisfaction felt by the Patriarch at the possibility of meeting Francis.
The encounter also touched other topics, such as Humanitarian aspects, the duty to aid the suffering and the role of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches in the conflict.
The official note specified that both religious leaders stressed the importance of the negotiation process to reach peace as soon as possible.
The Vatican Press Office spokesman Matteo Bruni commented that “The Pope and the Patriarch agreed that the Church must not use the language of politics, but the language of Jesus.”
The Press statement also talks about the closeness of both religious leaders to those suffering because of the war.
Francis and Kirill agreed that “Wars are always unjust since it is the people of God who pay. Our hearts cannot but weep before the children and women killed, along with all the victims of war. War is never the way,” the statement concluded. (FM)
Compiled by Gustavo Kralj
