Closeness to the Ukrainian people, prayer for them and admiration for them in the face of how much they are suffering because of the war. This was the focus of a message sent by Pope Francis to the Ukrainians 9 months after the outbreak of war.
On November 24, 9 months after the war in Ukraine, His Holiness Pope Francis wanted to send a message to the Ukrainian people. At the beginning the Holy Father spoke of the madness of war, of the bombing of Ukrainian cities while a shower of missiles causes death, destruction and pain, hunger, thirst and cold. The Pope also recalled that a large number of people had to flee, leaving their homes and loved ones, and added: Every day rivers of blood and tears flow alongside your great rivers.
The Holy Father continued his words to the Ukrainians, saying he wanted to join his tears with theirs, emphasizing that there is not a day when he is not close to them and carries them in his heart and in his prayers, and added: Your pain is my pain. And Pope Francis continued who on the cross of Jesus sees how they suffer from the horrors resulting from this attack, and continued by saying that the cross that tortured the Lord lives on in the effects of torture on the bodies of the dead, in mass graves in many cities and in many other harsh images that have stormed the spirits pushing them to raise a cry: Why? How can human beings treat other human beings like this?
In his message, Pope Francis stopped at what he knew of the tragic events, and spoke in particular of the many children who were victims or injured, and of those who were orphaned or torn from their mothers, and His Holiness said: I cry with you for every child who has lost their life in this war. He added that all of humanity was defeated in each of these little ones, and spoke of the great pain of Ukrainian mothers.
The Holy Father, on the other hand, wanted to speak to the young Ukrainians and said he was thinking of them, of those who, in order to courageously defend their homeland, had to take up arms instead of dreaming of the future. The Pope also addressed his words to wives who have lost their husbands and continue to keep silent with dignity and determination and to make every sacrifice for the good of their children. The Holy Father then turned his thoughts to adults who try in every way to protect their loved ones, and to the elderly who, instead of spending a peaceful sunset, were thrown into the dark night of war. Pope Francis also spoke to women who have suffered violence and who carry a great burden on their hearts. He continued to think of those who were wounded in soul and body, and he affirmed his closeness to them with love and admiration for how they faced such tough trials.
Pope Francis, then, in his message stopped at the volunteers who are committed to the people every day, and also referred to the pastors of God’s holy people who, often in situations that endangered their safety, remained close to the people, bringing them the consolation of God and the solidarity of fraternity, and making common places and monasteries a home in which to offer hospitality, relief and food to those who find themselves in difficult situations. Pope Francis also spoke of refugees and internally displaced people far from their homes, many of which have been destroyed. The Holy Father added that he is also thinking and praying for the authorities, because they have the task of governing the country in a tragic moment and making far-sighted decisions for peace and economic growth in the face of the destruction of many vital infrastructures.
His Holiness the Pope then wanted to express his admiration for the enthusiasm of the Ukrainian people in this sea of evil and pain, and added that the world has seen in the Ukrainians a courageous and strong people, who suffer and pray, cry and fight, resist and hope, noble people and martyrs. Pope Francis continued, underlining that he will continue to be close to the Ukrainians with his heart, with prayer and with human sympathy, so that they know they are accompanied and that they do not get used to war, so that they are not left alone today and above all tomorrow, when he can there is a tendency to forget one’s suffering, the Holy Father said.
And Pope Francis went on to tell the Ukrainians that in these months, when the cold makes what the Ukrainian people experience even more tragic, they want the love of the Church, the strength of prayer and the love of so many brothers and sisters everywhere to be kind to their face. It reminded us that in a few weeks we will celebrate Christmas while the cry of suffering will be greater, but I want to return with you to Bethlehem, said the Pope, and precisely to the test that night he had to face the Holy Family, which seemed cold and dark . However, the light came not from men but from God, not from the earth but from heaven.
The Holy Father then implored the Virgin, Mother of Jesus and our Mother, to watch over the Ukrainians, and recalled that, together with the Bishops of the world, he had consecrated the Church and humanity, especially yours, to the Immaculate Heart of Mary country and Russia, wrote the Pope. And he went on to say to the Ukrainians: To the heart of Mary, to the heart of the mother, I offer your suffering and your tears. And His Holiness continued: let us never tire of asking it for the gift of the desired peace, which, as one of your great sons of your land wrote, has brought God into our world, and which trusts that «there is nothing that incapacitate God” (Lk 1:37). The Holy Father prayed that God would fulfill the legitimate aspirations of Ukrainian hearts, heal their wounds and give them consolation.
And at the end of the message addressed to the Ukrainian people, 9 months after the outbreak of war in their country and the pain it causes to this people, His Holiness Pope Francis wanted to confirm his closeness to the Ukrainians and his prayers for them, as he asked them to pray for him, then he prayed that the Lord would bless them and the Virgin Mary keep them.
