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Euronews
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Pope Leo XIV offers to host Ukraine-Russia peace talks at the Vatican
The newly elected Pope Leo XIV has suggested that the Vatican could host high-level negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, as Istanbul talks were watered down following Russian President Vladimir Putin's refusal to come face to face with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. According to Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin's statement on Friday, the supreme pontiff plans to "if necessary, provide the Vatican, the Holy See, as a direct meeting (place) between the two sides." Parolin has also expressed his disappointment with the talks in Turkey, which took place on Friday. "It's all tragic because we hoped that a process would begin, perhaps slowly, but with a peaceful resolution of the conflict. Instead, we are back to square one." "Now we will see what to do, but the situation is very difficult, dramatic," Parolin added. On Thursday, Pope Leo XIV received the head of Ukraine's Greek Catholic Church at the Vatican, who thanked the supreme pontiff for his call for a peaceful, negotiated resolution to Russia's war in Ukraine during one of his first audiences as pontiff. His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Galicia, said he invited the pope to visit Ukraine and handed him a list of Ukrainian prisoners currently held by Russia. Under Pope Francis, the Vatican had actively supported prisoner exchanges and advocated for the return of Ukrainian children taken to Russian-occupied regions. The Vatican did not issue a formal statement following the meeting, which marked one of the earliest such engagements for the new pope since his election on 8 May. Since his appointment, Pope Leo XIV has repeatedly voiced his solidarity with Ukraine. During his first Sunday Angelus blessing and again this week while addressing pilgrims from Eastern Rite churches, he renewed his appeal for an end to the conflict. 'I carry in my heart the sufferings of the beloved Ukrainian people,' the pontiff said on Sunday. 'Let everything possible be done to achieve genuine, just and lasting peace as soon as possible. May all the prisoners be freed, and may the children return to their families.' Parolin said on Thursday that it remained 'premature' to consider a papal visit to Kyiv, despite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy raising the possibility in his first phone call with the pope earlier this week. While the Vatican traditionally maintains diplomatic neutrality, Pope Leo XIV has pledged to make 'every effort' to foster dialogue to end wars. 'The Holy See is always ready to help bring enemies together, face to face, to talk to one another, so that peoples everywhere may once more find hope and recover the dignity they deserve, the dignity of peace,' he said on Wednesday. Pope Leo XIV is set to be officially appointed during a Mass at the Vatican on Sunday, with Zelenskyy and US Vice President JD Vance expected to attend.
Euronews
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Greek Catholic Church leader invites Pope Leo XIV to visit Ukraine
Pope Leo XIV received the head of Ukraine's Greek Catholic Church at the Vatican on Thursday, who thanked the supreme pontiff for his call for a peaceful, negotiated resolution to Russia's war in Ukraine during one of his first audiences as pontiff. His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Galicia, said he invited the pope to visit Ukraine and handed him a list of Ukrainian prisoners currently held by Russia. Under Pope Francis, the Vatican had actively supported prisoner exchanges and advocated for the return of Ukrainian children taken to Russian-occupied regions. The Vatican did not issue a formal statement following the meeting, which marked one of the earliest such engagements for the new pope since his election on 8 May. Since his appointment, Pope Leo XIV has repeatedly voiced his solidarity with Ukraine. During his first Sunday Angelus blessing and again this week while addressing pilgrims from Eastern Rite churches, he renewed his appeal for an end to the conflict. 'I carry in my heart the sufferings of the beloved Ukrainian people,' the pontiff said on Sunday. 'Let everything possible be done to achieve genuine, just and lasting peace as soon as possible. May all the prisoners be freed, and may the children return to their families.' Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, said on Thursday that it remained 'premature' to consider a papal visit to Kyiv, despite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy raising the possibility in his first phone call with the pope earlier this week. While the Vatican traditionally maintains diplomatic neutrality, Pope Leo XIV has pledged to make 'every effort' to foster dialogue to end wars. 'The Holy See is always ready to help bring enemies together, face to face, to talk to one another, so that peoples everywhere may once more find hope and recover the dignity they deserve, the dignity of peace,' he said on Wednesday. Pope Leo XIV is set to be officially appointed during a Mass at the Vatican on Sunday, with Zelenskyy and US Vice President JD Vance expected to attend.
The Hindu
21-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Pope had a special relationship with Syro-Malabar Church, says Major Archbishop
Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil of the Syro-Malabar Church, the second largest among Eastern Rite churches in full communion with Rome, recalled with great affection the special relationship Pope Francis shared with the Church in India, especially with the Syro-Malabar Church. Archbishop Thattil told mediapersons here that the Pope entrusted the Syro-Malabar Church with the great responsibility for pastoral care. The Pope took note of the large number of immigrant Syro-Malabar Christians and supported the pastoral care extended to them by the Church in different parts of the world. His special relationship with the approximately five million-strong Syro-Malabar Church is evident from his close involvement with the Church, especially after discontent over adoption of a common Mass liturgy broke out into the public sphere. Unified Mass row While the Pope kept abreast of the developments, his involvement was evident from his video message in early December 2023 in which he appealed to the priests, religious and the lay faithful in the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese to sink differences, to obey the decision of the synod, and to build bridges and unity. He also warned as a father, of disciplinary action against disobedience, which would be resorted to with great pain. The Pope had appealed to the group in the archdiocese opposed to the synod decision for the unified Mass to adopt it by Christmas 2023 as one body of the Church. Act as one Church and not as a faction, the Pope had said. The Pope recognised and repeatedly emphasised the unique heritage, tradition of faith and the great role of the Syro-Malabar Church in the body of the universal Church. His elevation of George Koovakkad, Catholic priest of the Syro-Malabar Church, as Cardinal is a sign of the special status accorded to the Syro-Malabar Church. He was the first priest from India to have been raised to a Cardinal. Senior priest Kuriakose Mundadan, who has stood firm in demanding that the synod Mass be rejected, said the Pope may have been misled on the affairs of the Syro-Malabar Church when he appealed for adoption of the synod Mass. He also said that Pope Francis did not exclude anybody but was inclusive in his approach. 'Solace to refugees' Archbishop Joseph Pamplany, vicar of the major archbishop for the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly, said that the Pope held fast to his view that the Church should be for the poor. He was a solace to millions of refugees all over the world. Former Major Archbishop Cardinal George Alencherry said that the world will remember Pope Francis as the Pope of Mercy. He never kept anybody away and mercy was the face of his mission as the head of the Church.
