Be patient, the declaration signed on Cuba cost the Vatican a lot of difficulties”, Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine

“I ask you to be patient. Not always all parties can say what they want to say. Sometimes it is necessary to find a compromise”, said Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, Apostolic Nuncio in Ukraine during the Divine Liturgy in the Patriarchal Cathedral, commenting on the meeting of Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill and joint declaration they signed.

“A meeting of personalities is always the mystery of God. We do not know what others think, and this is what we bring to God's mercy,” said the Apostolic Nuncio.

He noted that many Ukrainians were concerned about meeting between the Pope and the Patriarch of Moscow and now there are different opinions and interpretations of this event. “I know how your nation suffers because of the difficulties of understanding. But, I ask you to be patient. Not always all parties can say what they want to say. Sometimes it is necessary to find a compromise in order to draw up a joint text, a joint declaration. His Beatitude knows well how much work and difficulties the text signed by Francis Pope and Patriarch Kirill cost for us,” said the spokesman.

The papal envoy emphasized that humanity needs something more than a text. "What people will remember - it's their embrace. And the embrace is a holy thing. But, you may say, even Judas kissed Jesus Christ, but then betrayed him. Sometimes we are all little traitors. We must have hope and faith that the Lord can work wonders even through our little failures and weakness,” Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti said.

The Apostolic Nuncio said that in a few days he would set off for the conflict area “where people are suffering.” “This is the main purpose for which the Holy Father has appointed me there. I have to be with those who suffer, to help them in the name of the Pope. I gladly leave to others the opportunity to read and re-read different texts, declarations and find what they wish therein,” the representative of the Vatican in Ukraine said. He said that someone might call his trip an attempt of proselytism, "but it does not bother me,” said Bishop Claudio.