Pope Francis is facing backlash for his recent remarks, in which he appeared to praise the Russian empire during a speech to Russian Catholic youths. His comments have sparked criticism from both state and religious leaders in Ukraine.
In a video of the pope’s speech posted on a religious website in Moscow, Francis deviated from his prepared speech and said, “Don’t forget your heredity. You are heirs of the great Russia, the great Russia of the saints, of kings.” These comments, highlighting the Russian empire’s historical figures such as Peter I and Catherine II, who were known for expanding Russia’s territory into Europe, have drawn attention and controversy.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson, Oleg Nikolenko, condemned Francis’ remarks as “imperialist propaganda.” He stated that the Kremlin uses such rhetoric to justify the killing of thousands of Ukrainians and the destruction of their cities and villages. Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of Ukraine’s eastern Rite Catholic Church, expressed disappointment and concern over the pope’s comments, labeling them as examples of imperialism and extreme Russian nationalism. Shevchuk warned that these words could be seen as supporting the nationalism and imperialism that caused the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The Vatican shared the entirety of Francis’ prepared speech on their website but excluded the impromptu comments he made at the end of the speech. Earlier in his address, Francis had encouraged Russian Catholic youths to be ambassadors of peace and advocates for reconciliation.
Nexta, a media group in Belarus, criticized the pope’s speech, highlighting that the Catholics of Poland, Lithuania, and Belarus had risen up against the Russian empire on multiple occasions.
While Pope Francis has consistently denounced the war between Russia and Ukraine, Ukrainian diplomats have reportedly voiced concerns that the Vatican leaders do not take a strong enough stance against Russia and its leader.
It is clear that Francis’ remarks have sparked controversy and raised questions about his stance on the conflict in Ukraine.
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