Nine months after Russia invaded Ukraine, Pope Francis wrote to the “noble and mortal” Ukrainian people, pledging his care and expressing his heartache for all the children killed: “In every one of them there was an expression The defeat of all mankind.”
(Vatican News Network)With a fatherly heart, Pope Francis weeps with his children; with the poignancy of a pastor, he expresses his concern for a people suffering from “destruction, pain, hunger, thirst and cold”. Nine months into the “irrational madness of war”, Pope Francis writes to the people of Ukraine, expressing his concern directly for every Ukrainian: everyone, meaning women, victims of violence, victims of war And widows, young people who went to the front line, elderly people left alone, refugees, displaced persons, volunteers, priests and government officials.
In this time of “tough tribulation”, the Bishop of Rome urges the people of Ukraine not to be discouraged, but also to express “appreciation” to them, because, as Ukrainians have shown in history, they are strong, they suffer and pray, cry and struggle , resist and hope. The Ukrainian people are “noble and mortal”.
The pope’s letter sets out the tragic situation. He cut to the chase, laying out the horrors the Eastern European country has endured from the first day of its invasion, February 24, 2022. “The menacing roar of bombings, the disturbing sound of sirens, rumbles through your skies. Bombs pound your cities, missiles rain down on death , destruction, pain, hunger, thirst and cold. Your streets are full of people forced to flee from their homes and loved ones. Beside your great rivers, there are rivers of blood and tears that flow every day.”
The Pope’s tears flowed with theirs: “Not a single day does not pass without me being with you, thinking of you in my heart and prayers. Your pain is mine.” “On the cross of Jesus, today I see you, You who have suffered from the terror caused by this invasion. Yes, the Crucifixion that once afflicted the Lord is reproduced today in the torture of human remains in mass graves found in many cities, in those and many And other bloody images. It all goes deep, and it makes people cry out: Why? Why are other people doing this to these people?”
Today’s tragedies reminded the pope of many tragedies in the world during these years. The pope first mentioned children, speaking of a newborn and a four-year-old who lost their lives in the missile attack. “In each of them,” the pope wrote, “the defeat of all humanity is manifested. Today they, in the arms of God, look at your worries and pray that they will end.”
“For them, for all the children and adults who were deported, how can one not feel sad? The pain of Ukrainian mothers cannot be calculated”. The Pope went on to think of young people who, “in order to defend their homeland bravely”, have to abandon their dreams and take up arms. The wives of fallen soldiers gritted their teeth and “sacrificed silently for their children with dignity and determination”. Adults “find ways to protect the ones they love”, the elderly cannot enjoy their old age and are caught in the “dark nights of war”, and women “are subjected to violence and carry a heavy burden in their hearts”.
“I think of you and I am with you with love and appreciation,” the Pope wrote. In his letter, the Pope did not forget those volunteers who give their hearts and souls to the people every day, as well as all pastors. Bishops, priests, religious “stay close to the people at great risk, using creativity to turn community sites and houses into lodgings, to entertain those in need, to provide them with aid and food”.
The pope was also thinking of refugees and internally displaced persons, many of whom have had their homes destroyed and uprooted from their homes. In addition, the Pope issued an appeal to the authorities, praying for them. “In tragic times, they are charged with governing and have an obligation to make far-sighted decisions to promote peace and grow the economy in the face of the destruction of many vital infrastructures.”
At the end of the letter, the Pope looked ahead to the months ahead, as the severe cold must make the situation of the Ukrainian people even worse. “I hope that the love of the Church, the power of prayer, and the love of so many brothers and sisters in every corner of the world, will caress your faces,” the pope said. “Christmas is just a few weeks away” and the pangs of suffering will be felt more clearly. “However, I would like to go back with you to Bethlehem, to the trials you had to face that night in the Holy Family. It was a night that seemed to have nothing but cold and darkness. Yet light came: it did not come from man issue, but from God; it does not come from the world, but emanates from on high.”
The Pope concluded by imploring the protection of the Virgin Mary for the Ukrainian people. “I offer your sufferings and tears to her motherly heart.”
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