“Let us not tire, please, of praying for peace, especially for the Ukrainian people who are in my heart every day,” the Pope said during the Angelus prayer on the feast of saints Peter and Paul.
Francis addressed a special greeting to Romans on what is their patron saints’ day, also thanking the local tourism authorities for the ‘Infiorata’ floral carpet that has been laid in Via della Conciliazione, the avenue leading up to St Peter’s Basilica, and which is inspired by the theme of peace.
Earlier the pontiff presided over the Mass for Saints Peter and Paul in the Vatican basilica.
Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, meanwhile on Thursday met with Moscow’s ombudswoman for children’s rights Maria Lvova-Belova during a two-day peace mission to the Russian capital.
Along with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Lvova-Belova is wanted by the International Criminal Court for the unlawful transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia.
Separately, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that no specific agreement had been reached during Wednesday’s conversation between Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign policy advisor, and the papal envoy, according to Interfax.
The conversation will continue as necessary, Peskov added.
“It was an exchange of views and information on humanitarian issues in the context of the Ukrainian situation,” Peskov said.
“There are no specific decisions or agreements,” he added.
“If necessary, the dialogue will continue.”
Earlier, the Catholic Archbishop of Moscow, Paolo Pezzi, told Tass news agency that the main topic had been “humanitarian issues related to refugees, including minors”, without giving further details.
The Kyiv authorities have asked the Vatican to raise with Moscow the issue of Ukrainian children deported to Russia.
Also on Thursday, the Nuncio in Moscow, Monsignor Giovanni D’Aniello, told Tg1 that Zuppi would meet Patriarch Kirill in the afternoon and then concelebrate evening Mass in the Catholic Cathedral in the Russian capital.
“There he will certainly bring the Holy Father’s greetings, closeness and prayer for the entire Catholic community. And above all he will pray for peace,” the Nuncio said.
On Tuesday, the Vatican issued a statement announcing Zuppi’s mission, the main aim of which is to “encourage gestures of humanity, which can contribute to fostering a solution to the current tragic situation and find possible ways to achieve a just peace”.
The visit comes on the heels of a similar mission to Kyiv in early June, when Zuppi met with representatives of the civil and religious authorities and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
ANSA
