Pope at Angelus: Peace is needed in Ukraine

Pope Francis calls for prayers for the “Normandy Format” meeting, which begins Monday in Paris, Vatican News report.

Following the Angelus on Sunday, Pope Francis said he will accompany the “Normandy Format” meeting in prayer – and called on others to do the same.

The Normandy Format meeting will bring together the Presidents of Ukraine, Russia, and France, along with the Federal Chancellor of Germany, in order, as Pope Francis described it, “to seek solutions to the painful conflict that has been going on for years in eastern Ukraine”.

The Holy Father called for people to join him in prayer “that this initiative of political dialogue can contribute to bring fruits of peace in justice to that territory and its people”.

Speaking with Vatican News on Sunday afternoon after the Angelus, the Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine, Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti said, “The words of the Pope we have heard at the Angelus, of course, is a source of big consolation for the local population, because what is going to happen tomorrow is capital for the future of this country and of the peace that everybody desires”.

He continued, “So we are all very happy that the Holy Father raised his voice, which of course spreads all over the world, in order to support what the political initiative might imply”. The Nuncio said the Holy Father’s words might also help “people understand that not everything depends on the words of the politicians, it very much depends on the prayer and obedience to the wish of God – because peace is a gift of God”.

Archbishop Gugerotti said, “Some people are now expecting very strongly this event, and hope that peace will be established and war will finish, because we are all exhausted, and many people are suffering in an incredible way because of this persisting state of war”.