Mykola Kniazhytsky: The Vatican must tell the truth about the war in Ukraine

Not only Ukrainian Catholics (Greek and Roman) for a long time could not understand why Pope Francis does not call Russia and Putin aggressors. I will add that numerous Catholic intellectuals in the world cannot understand this either, and ordinary Catholics too.

Surprise was deepened by the words of the Pope after the revelation of the atrocities of the Russian horde in Bucha and other areas of the Kyiv region. For the Pope, it was not Putin and his army that were guilty, but all of us. And if that means all, then the victims too, as noted by many commentators. Such logic does not fit into a healthy head.

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Parolin was jealous of his boss because of his media popularity and condemned Western governments for supplying weapons to Ukraine because it leads to an "escalation" of the war. One more step, and the Vatican will state that not the aggressor, but the victim is to blame for the war...

Another scandal arose because of the idea of ​​"reconciliation" of Ukrainians and Russians during the present Way of the Cross in the ruins of the Colosseum in Rome. After numerous protests, the Apostolic Capital abandoned the words about "fraternal peoples" and reconciliations, but did not abandon the idea itself.

And as a commentary on this action, the words of the Pope were heard in an interview with the Italian public television RAI that helping more than 4 million Ukrainian refugees in Europe is a manifestation of "racism". Instead of praising the great help and great heart of Europeans and European governments, there is only condemnation.

Why? I want to ask. Because Ukrainians, the answer is heard, because there is no other explanation.

Francis recognized the right of countries to defend themselves, but even this was "softened" by the words that "rejection of the world is a big problem." According to this logic, it is Ukraine that refuses peace, Ukraine does not want peace, because it defends itself and thereby spoils the plans of "peace-loving" Russia.

The Pope declared his readiness to come to Kyiv, which literally until yesterday was a very positive fact for many of us. Today, unfortunately, there are fewer and fewer favorable circumstances for such a visit, as diplomats say.

The only hope is that Pope Francis and his staff will listen to the voice of the hierarchy of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, other churches and religious organizations that know what the truth about the war in Ukraine is.

"During the war", His Beatitude Svyatoslav Shevchuk said in his speech on the 51st day of the war, "the first victim is always the truth. We know that Christ said about himself: "I am the road, the truth and the life". Therefore, a Christian who under conditions of war lives in the truth and speaks the truth about what he saw and experienced - thus he honors the Lord and Savior of our Jesus Christ".