Pope Francis pleads for peace to return on Ukraine

April 18 ------ The Pope's delivery of the traditional Urbi et Orbi on Easter Sunday was thwarted by his frustration towards the growing conflicts happening in Ukraine and pleaded for peace to come back in the now war-torn country. "May the leaders of nations hear people's plea for peace.", he announced. Unmistakably expressing his despair towards the dire state of the country.

Just after celebrating the Easter Mass that has been delayed due to the occurrence of the pandemic, the pontiff announced his opposition on the war, hoping for the world leaders to hear their cries. "Our hearts, too, have been filled with fear and anguish, as so many of our brothers and sisters have had to lock themselves away in order to be safe from bombing," he continued, emphasizing the hardships the people of Ukraine had to endure. "It was time to come out of the tunnel together, hand in hand, pooling our strengths and resources. Instead, we are showing that we still have within us the spirit of Cain, who saw Abel not as a brother, but as a rival, and thought about how to eliminate him."

He maintained the fact that millions of refugees, separated families and even the elderly now live in torment living with scraps in their ravaged homes and their family and livelihood shattered by the war.

The emergence of the pandemic took a great toll in our countries, the pontiff also mentioned. "It was time to come out of the tunnel together, hand in hand, pooling our strengths and resources. Instead, we are showing that we still have within us the spirit of Cain, who saw Abel not as a brother, but as a rival, and thought about how to eliminate him.", he asserted. "May the conflict in Europe also make us more concerned about other situations of conflict, suffering and sorrow, situations that affect all too many areas of our world, situations that we cannot overlook and do not want to forget."

Source: philstar.com