"Ukraine suffers and deserves peace," says Pope on Day of PrayerPope entrusts peace in Africa, Ukraine and the world to St. Mary, Queen of PeaceThe meeting between Francis and the Ukrainian Catholic bishops of the Eastern Rite lasted almost two hours. Archbishop Svjatoslav Ševčuk spoke during his words of greeting about the suffering he is living through. Ukraineand thanked Pope Francis for the affection he has shown to the Ukrainian people on so many occasions.
Then, different participants spoke about the painful situations that are being experienced in different parts of Ukraine.
"Dimension of martyrdom."
Francis has expressed his understanding and closeness to these situations, pointing out that the Ukrainians live with a "dimension of martyrdom" that is not sufficiently spoken about, according to a Vatican communiqué. The same statement said that the Pope "expressed his pain for the feeling of helplessness experienced in the face of war, 'a thing of the devil, who wants to destroy', with a special thought for the Ukrainian children he met during the audiences: 'They look at you and have forgotten their smile', and added: 'This is one of the fruits of war: to take away the smile of children'".
In October, rosaries for Ukraine
Francis, following a request that took place during the interview, expressed his wish "that in October, particularly in the sanctuaries, the prayer of the rosary be dedicated to peace, and to peace in Ukraine".
Archbishop Svjatoslav Ševčuk has presented the Pope with a cross, a prayer book and a rosary belonging to two Redemptorist priests detained in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory a year ago.
The Pope and Our Lady of Tenderness
The Pope, at the end of the meeting, gave Jesus as an example during his Passion, recalling that "it is not easy, that is holiness, but people want us to be saints and teachers of this path that Jesus taught us". Finally, Francis commented that every day he prays for the Ukrainians before the icon of the Virgin given to him by Bishop Svjatoslav Ševčuk in Buenos Aires years ago (it is a Ukrainian icon of the Virgin of Tenderness, the name given to the icons in which the Virgin appears with the Child in her arms). To close the meeting, the Pope and the Ukrainian bishops prayed a prayer to Mary.
