Pope Pope Leo XIV, on the eve of the fourth anniversary of the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, called for an immediate ceasefire and urged believers to unite in prayer for the suffering Ukrainian people.
He made the appeal on Sunday after reciting the Angelus prayer, Vatican News reports.
Addressing the faithful, Leo XIV recalled that four years have already passed since the beginning of the war against Ukraine.
“My heart once again turns to the tragic situation that is before everyone’s eyes. How many victims, how many shattered lives and families! How much destruction! How much unspeakable suffering… Indeed, every war is a wound inflicted upon the whole human family; it leaves behind death, devastation, and traces of pain that mark entire generations,” he said.
The Pope stressed that peace cannot be postponed, adding that it is an urgent necessity that must “find a place in our hearts and be translated into responsible decisions.”
“Therefore, I once again urgently renew my appeal: let the weapons fall silent! Let the bombings cease! Let an immediate ceasefire be achieved and dialogue be intensified to open the path to peace,” the pontiff emphasized.
The Pope also invited the faithful to unite in prayer for the suffering people of Ukraine and for all those affected by the Russian-Ukrainian war and every conflict in the world, “so that in our days the gift — the long-awaited gift — of peace may shine forth.”
