War destroys not only the present but also the future of society, according to Pope Francis, who repeatedly called for the laying down of arms in Ukraine in his speech on St. Peter's Square on Sunday.
Pope Francis recalled that more than a month had passed since the beginning of the "cruel and senseless" war that broke out on February 24. "Like all wars, this also means defeat for everyone, for all of us," declared the head of the Catholic Church. He emphasized that
war must be rejected, in which parents bury their children, people kill their brothers they have never seen before, the powerful make decisions, and the poor die.
He pointed out that since the attack on Ukraine, every second child in the country has lost their home. "This means the destruction of their future, they cause dramatic trauma to the smallest and most innocent, this is the animal face of war, because it is barbaric and sacrilegious," declared Pope Francis. The head of the Catholic Church believed that war is avoidable and that everything must be done to avoid getting used to it, otherwise "we will all become guilty of it." He stated that, faced with the threat of self-destruction, humanity must realize that the time has come to end war:
"must be erased from human history before war erases man from history."
The Pope urged all political leaders to commit themselves to the "martyr Ukraine", to the silencing of weapons, and to peace negotiations.
As usual, Pope Francis delivered his Sunday speech from the window of the papal suite overlooking St. Peter's Square, which, according to data from the Vatican security service, was listened to by around 30,000 people in and around the square.
Source: MTI/vasarnap.hu
Featured image: MTI/EPA/ANSA/Claudio Peri
