Pope Francis ‘begs’ Vladimir Putin to stop the ‘spiral of violence and death’

Never had the pope gone so far since the start of the war between Ukraine and Russia. He launched, Sunday, October 2 in front of the crowd gathered in Place Saint-Pierre, a ” call “ solemn to Vladimir Putin to obtain a ceasefire.

“My appeal is addressed above all to the President of the Russian Federation, begging him to stop, also out of love for his people, this spiral of violence and death”, launched the Pope from the window of the Apostolic Palace. In an unusual move, Francis had decided to replace his usual meditation on the texts of the day with this ” reflection ” on the “terrible and inconceivable wound of humanity” represented by the war between Ukraine and Russia.

“Deeply saddened”

The pope, who also appealed to the Ukrainian president to be “open to serious proposals for peace”, also said deeply “saddened” because of “rivers of blood and tears” paid since the beginning of the war. “How much more blood must be spilled?” », asked Francois.

During his call, the pope renewed his call for a “immediate ceasefire”. “Let the guns be silent and we seek the conditions to open negotiations capable of leading to solutions not imposed by force, but concerted, fair and stable”, implored the pope.

“Nuclear Escalation”

It was the annexation, a few hours earlier, of four Ukrainian territories by Russia that seemed to encourage the pope to go a step further in his appeal. And the associated runaway risks. “I deeply regret the serious situation that has arisen in recent days, with new actions contrary to the principles of international law, Francis insisted. It increases the risk of nuclear escalation. » An atomic threat ” absurd “, underlined François, whose diplomacy has consistently defended total nuclear disarmament for years.

“After seven months of hostilities, we must resort to all diplomatic means”, asked Francois. In addition to the Russian and Ukrainian presidents, the pope wanted to address more broadly “all the protagonists of international life and to the political leaders of nations”, so that they promote “dialogue initiatives” against the “madness” of the war.

From John XXIII to Francis

On the form, it is very unusual that the pope launches such a long appeal by deciding to launch it before the Angelus prayer. François had not done so since 2013, during the war in Syria.

As a sign of the importance attached by the pope to the words spoken in St. Peter’s Square, some in the Vatican are already comparing Francis’ appeal to that launched by another pope during the Cuban crisis. “The content and tone of Francis’ Angelus on the war in Ukraine recall John XXIII’s radio message of October 25, 1962 on the Cuban crisis”, thus commented on Twitter, in the seconds that followed the end of the Angelus, the vice-director of media of the Vatican, Alessandro Gisotti. “The Pope of Pacem in terris And the one of Fratelli tutti remind us, he added, that war, a fortiori nuclear war, is madness. »