Ukrainian officials have criticized Pope Francis’ recent address to Russian youth, accusing him of promoting “imperialist propaganda.” The pope made a video address to the 10th All-Russian Catholic Youth Assembly in St. Petersburg, urging them to embrace their heritage as descendants of the Russian empire. He mentioned historical figures such as Peter I and Catherine II, describing Russia as a great nation with a rich culture and humanity.
However, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oleh Nikolenko condemned the pope’s speech, stating that it perpetuates the Kremlin’s justification for the murder of Ukrainians and the destruction of Ukrainian towns and villages. Nikolenko argued that the pope should instead be highlighting the destructive actions of the current Russian leadership.
This criticism comes in the context of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s comparison of himself to Peter the Great, which he used to justify Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainians saw this comparison as an admission of Putin’s imperial ambitions. Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, warned that the pope’s words could be interpreted as support for the nationalism and imperialism that caused the war in Ukraine.
The Vatican, however, rejected the interpretation of the pope’s words as praise for imperialism. They stated that the pope intended to encourage young people to preserve and promote positive aspects of Russian culture and spirituality, rather than exalting imperialist logic and government personalities.
This is not the first time Pope Francis has faced criticism for his comments on Russia’s war in Ukraine. Last year, he suggested that the war may have been provoked or not prevented, and he referred to a Russian political commentator as an “innocent” victim of the conflict.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine to discuss the pope’s statement, expressing their belief that it unjustly equates the aggressor and the victim. Ukrainian officials have also expressed their lack of knowledge regarding a Vatican peace mission to resolve the conflict with Russia, following the pope’s claim of involvement in the process.
Despite the criticism, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Pope Francis in May, where the pope assured him of his constant prayer for peace and emphasized the need for human gestures towards the victims of the war.
How did Ukrainian officials interpret Pope Francis’ recent address to Russian youth and why did they strongly criticize it?
Ukrainian officials have strongly criticized Pope Francis’ recent address to Russian youth, accusing him of promoting “imperialist propaganda.” The pope delivered a video address to the 10th All-Russian Catholic Youth Assembly in St. Petersburg, where he encouraged the young attendees to embrace their heritage as descendants of the Russian empire. He cited historical figures like Peter I and Catherine II, praising Russia as a nation with a rich culture and humanity.
However, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson, Oleh Nikolenko, condemned the pope’s speech, arguing that it perpetuates the Kremlin’s justification for the murder and destruction that has occurred in Ukraine. Nikolenko believes that the pope should be focusing on highlighting the destructive actions of the current Russian leadership, rather than glorifying the country’s past.
This criticism arises amidst Russian President Vladimir Putin’s comparison of himself to Peter the Great, which he has used to justify Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainians see this comparison as evidence of Putin’s imperial ambitions. Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, expressed concern that the pope’s words could be interpreted as support for the nationalism and imperialism that caused the war in Ukraine.
In response, the Vatican rejected the interpretation of the pope’s words as praise for imperialism. They clarified that the pope’s intention was to encourage young people to preserve and promote the positive aspects of Russian culture and spirituality, rather than endorsing imperialist ideologies and government figures.
This is not the first time Pope Francis has faced criticism for his comments on Russia’s war in Ukraine. In the past, he suggested that the war may have been provoked or not prevented, and he referred to a Russian political commentator as an “innocent” victim of the conflict.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned the Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine to discuss the pope’s statement, expressing their belief that it unjustly equates the aggressor (Russia) and the victim (Ukraine). Ukrainian officials have also expressed their lack of knowledge regarding a Vatican peace mission to resolve the conflict with Russia, following the pope’s claim of involvement in the process.
Despite the criticism, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Pope Francis in May, during which the pope assured him of his unwavering prayers for peace and emphasized the importance of humanity towards the victims of the war.
It’s important to have open dialogues, but let’s hope this criticism doesn’t strain relations between the two countries further.