The head of the Catholic Church believes that if someone does bad things against his own people, he can be considered guilty, but no one commits a sin because he prayed.
No Christian church should be abolished, directly or indirectly, Pope Francis said in his speech in St. Peter's Square on Sunday, after Volodymyr Zelenskyi signed the law banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Pope Francis stated that he continues to follow with pain the fighting in Ukraine and on the territory of Russia.
Regarding the recently adopted legislation in Ukraine, Pope Francis said: "I was afraid of the freedom of those who pray, because the prayer of the person who really prays is always for everyone. You do not commit a sin by praying.”
The Catholic Church believed that
if someone does wrong against his own people, he can be considered guilty, but no one commits a sin because he prayed.
"Then we will let whoever wants to pray there, which he considers his own church. Please don't wipe out any Christian church directly or indirectly.
Hands off the churches!
said Pope Francis.
The Pope was referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi signing a law allowing the ban of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UPC), recognized as canonical by Moscow, which was passed by the country's parliament on Tuesday. The presidential decision was published on the website of the Ukrainian parliament on Saturday.
The draft law bans the Russian Orthodox Church from Ukrainian territory, and a government commission compiles a list of its affiliated organizations, which will no longer be allowed to operate.
MTI
Featured image: Andreas SOLARO / AFP
