Vatican City – Pope Francis on Thursday was quickly moved to tears and overcome with grief while praying for peace in Ukraine. He sought
The Holy Father’s expression at the suffering of the people in Ukraine brought the crowd gathered in prayer at Rome’s Piazza di Spagna, to an atmosphere of silence, prayer and a moment of applause.
Every year the Holy Father travels to the Column of the Immaculate Conception on n the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception liturgically celebrated on 8 December by the Church, though the last two years the visit has been private and very early in the morning in order to adhere to restrictions put in place for the Covid-19 pandemic.
Traditionally, the Holy Father places a bouquet of white roses at the base of the column and prays for her intercession to help all people in their suffering and struggles.
Prayers for peace, prayers for Ukraine
This year, Pope Francis focused his prayers, in a special way, on peace in the world, and especially for peace in "martyred" Ukraine.
In praying to Our Lady, Pope Francis recalled that after two years, he returns to her and, he said, "I bring you the thanks and supplications of all your children, near and far”. He brought the thanksgivings of the young, old, and families, and prayed for peace in Ukraine, even stopping his prayer as he shed a tear at the thought of the troubled land.
He also brought forward the prayers of young people for the future, and of young couples, who seek inspiration in the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Joseph.
The Holy Father concluded his prayer, "looking to you who are without sin," with the hope that we might "continue to believe and hope that love might conquer hatred, that truth might conquer lies, that pardon might conquer offenses, that peace might conquer war!”
A prayer before Salus Populi Romani
Earlier, on his way to the Column of the Immaculate Conception, the Holy Father prayed silently before the icon Salus Populi Romani in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome. The icon of the Blessed Mother recalls how the people of Rome were saved from a deadly plague.
The image is said to have been brought back from the Holy Land by St. Helena, mother of the Emperor Constantine. During the pontificate of Pope St. Gregory the Great, a plague spread throughout Rome, and Pope Gregory carried the image in procession to pray for an end to the plague. When the plague finally ended, Pope Gregory solemnly placed crowns of gold and gems on the heads of Mary and the Child Jesus in the miraculous image.
In the warfront
Russia’s relentless missile campaign targeting Ukraine’s energy systems, has knocked out critical services across the country and, as the Kremlin clearly intended, disrupted the lives of ordinary Ukrainians, complicating decisions large and small.
Russian forces on Friday, shelled the entire front line in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian officials said, as part of what appeared to be the Kremlin's scaled-back ambition to secure only the bulk of lands it has claimed.
"The Russians have intensified their efforts in Donetsk and Luhansk," Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych said in a video post.
President Vladimir Putin has given conflicting statements on the goals of the war but is now clear the aims include some expansion of Russia's borders, in contrast with comments at the beginning of the "special military operation", when he said Russia's plans did not include the occupation of Ukrainian land.
With freezing temperatures setting in, residents of Kyiv and other cities are not only asking where to find heat, water and electricity but also wondering if they can stay in Ukraine. Officials are warning of a humanitarian catastrophe for those who remain and a new refugee crisis if too many leave.
-VN/Reuters/WP