Pope Francis has addressed the conflict in Ukraine during his weekly address. Speaking in St Peter’s Square, the Pope said Ukrainians were subject to savageness, monstrosities and torture, and that a “noble” people are being martyred.

The Pope’s message came as Russian President, Vladimir Putin, looked to order a partial mobilisation of the Russian armed forces, and hold referendums in occupied territories of east Ukraine. 

Pope Francis spoke of a conversation he had with Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, his charity chief delivering aid in the country, who came under gunfire last week. The Polish prelate gave the Pope an update on what Francis called the “terrible situation in tormented Ukraine.” 

The Pontiff, who was recently in Kazakhstan but did not meet Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church (despite earlier suggestions that he might), has begged for an end to Russia’s “senseless and tragic war”.

Francis had told Russian Orthodox hierarchy and other religious leaders that their faith must never be used to justify the “evil” of war, and that God must never “be held hostage to the human thirst for power.” 

The Pope said religious leaders needed to take the lead in promoting a culture of peace, saying it was hypocritical to expect non-believers to promote peace if religious leaders do not.

The Pope said: “Mindful of the wrongs and errors of the past, let us unite our efforts to ensure that the Almighty will never again be held hostage to the human thirst for power.” 

“May we never justify violence. May we never allow the sacred to be exploited by the profane. The sacred must never be a prop for power, nor power a prop for the sacred,” he added.

In the past, Pope Francis has come in for criticism for not being tough enough on Russia, alongside ongoing criticism of his accommodating attitude towards China. Yet there has been a noticeable shift in tone in recent weeks.

With his latest intervention, the Pope may be attempting to force a reaction from the Russian Orthodox Church, while demonstrating solidarity with Ukraine as well as its Catholic Slavic ally, Poland.

The post BREAKING: Pope Francis addresses Ukraine conflict in weekly address appeared first on Catholic Herald.