Even when covering Vladimir Putin's visit to the Vatican, Russian propaganda media could not resist publishing fakes. Thus, on July 5, pro-Kremlin media reported that Pope Francis presented Vladimir Putin with the medal "Guardian Angel of Peace". The main sources of this information are Ramzan Kadyrov and Putin's press Secretary Dmitry Peskov.
Even when covering Vladimir Putin's visit to the Vatican, Russian propaganda media could not resist publishing fakes. Thus, on July 5, pro-Kremlin media reported that Pope Francis presented Vladimir Putin with the medal "Guardian Angel of Peace". The main sources of this information are Ramzan Kadyrov and Putin's press Secretary Dmitry Peskov.
In the news, the Russian media write that the medal is called "Guardian Angel of Peace" and that this "award is conferred every hundred years and -- over the past 462 years -- Putin is its fifth winner." All of them write that, allegedly, Pope Francis recognized the merits of Vladimir Putin in establishment of peace.
However, the news turned out to be fake: such medal does not exist at all, and the Pope actually called Putin to maintain peace and reminded to him the devastating impact of the war.
The fake story was spread by Komsomolskaya Pravda, RBC, Star, EurAsia Daily, Russian Newspaper, News24UA, NTV, Interfax and others. It is reported by Stopfake.
As RISU already reported, the Pope handed over to Putin a medal issued in honor of the sixth year of the pontificate with the quote "Nothing is lost with peace. Everything can be lost with war" from the radio message of Pope Pius XII of August 24, 1939. This medal is dedicated to the end of the World War I and carries a message about the destructive effect of wars. This medal was a message to the aggressor, not to the "guardian of peace".
The international Catholic weekly The Tablet in July 2018 described in detail the new commemorative medal, which reminds of the horrors of war.
The medal was released on July 26, 2018, so the words about " being awarded once in a hundred years" or that "Putin is the fifth laureate in the course of the last 462 years" are not true. The words of Pope Pius XII are engraved on the medal: "Nothing is lost with peace, everything can be lost with war". These words were said by the Pope on Vatican Radio in 1939. This quote is constantly used in his addresses as Pope Francis is calling for peace and putting an end to armed conflict. A medal with such a phrase is essentially a non-verbal diplomatic message of the Vatican.
The commemorative medal on one side depicts the Church with a dove emitting rings of light that illuminate the papal coat of arms. This image, according to an official description of the medal, represents the gifts that the Holy Spirit gives the Church to guide it in its mission.
The other side shows a struggle between war and peace. The top half, symbolizing peace, has a mother hugging a child and an olive branch, while at the bottom barbed wire encages a young boy. Dividing the two sides, at the center, is the image of a poppy, symbolizing those who have lost their lives in wars.
Image designer is Chiara Principe.
The official Vatican has repeatedly called for peace and Pope Francis regularly remembers the countries where the fighting is taking place, including the east of Ukraine.
During his recent meeting with Ukrainian bishops, the Pope stated that "a hybrid war is being waged in Donbas, marked by the seal of propagandist lies and manipulations".