‘Hope is in God.’ Russia’s invasion in Ukraine prompts pleas from pope, faith leaders
In a moment of solace at the Carmelite Monastery at Notting Hill in London, Sister Luke prays for Ukraine, kneeling before a statue of the Virgin Mary in an empty room.
Luke captured the moment of prayer in a photo posted to Twitter. “We pray for the people of Ukraine,” she wrote. “For their safety and for their freedom.”
The tweet came one day after Russia launched an invasion on Ukraine, which began Feb. 24. As Russia continues to advance toward Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv, cities and towns along the way have faced devastating consequences, documented by citizens and reporters on the ground.
As tensions between the countries rise, faith leaders and members of the community, including Luke, have paused to pray. Her words would add to a well of religious voices, weighing in on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Here is some of what has been said.
‘There is still time for goodwill’
The Vatican spoke about Russia’s invasion in Ukraine on Feb. 24, releasing a short speech from Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of Vatican City.
In Parolin’s speech, he says that followers of the church do not lose hope that powerful leaders will change their minds and that a plea for peace is more urgent now than ever as Russia moves into Ukraine.
“There is still time for goodwill, there is still room for negotiation,” Parolin said. “There is still a place for the exercise of a wisdom that can prevent the predominance of partisan interest, safeguard the legitimate aspirations of everyone, and spare the world from the folly and horrors of war.”
Parolin also encouraged people to pray and fast during Ash Wednesday on March 2 for peace in Ukraine.
‘Anguish and concern’
Pope Francis traveled to the Russian embassy on the Via della Concilazione in Rome on Feb. 25, according to the Vatican. He met with Ambassador Alexander Avdeev to discuss the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and spent over a half-hour at the embassy.
Pope Francis asked that “those with political responsibility to examine their consciences seriously before God, who is the God of peace and not of war,” the Vatican reported.
There was some uncertainty if Russia and Ukraine may be willing to enter a Vatican mediation to help resolve the country’s two tensions, according to Reuters.
While Ukrainian Vatican ambassador Andriy Yurash said Ukraine would be open to a Vatican mediation, the Vatican would not comment on whether mediation had been proposed, Reuters reported.
According to Reuters, the pope visiting an embassy to discuss tensions with ambassadors is “unprecedented in living memory.”
‘We are in the hands of God’
In a prerecorded video posted Feb. 25, Father Oleksandr Zelinskyi, the director-general of EWTN Ukraine, stands in the Chapel of EWTN in Kyiv in his religious garments.
Zelinskyi thanks watchers from around the world for their prayer and support during the difficult time in Ukraine.
“All the people in Ukraine, it is a difficult time for us ... when many people feel fear and distress,” Zelinskyi said. “We don’t know what will be our future, but we believe we are in the hands of God.”
Although many Ukrainian citizens have moved west, away from the Russian invasion, Zelinskyi told the National Catholic Register that he planned to stay at the capitol and continue to broadcast services and masses from the chapel for those who remained.
Other religious figures in Ukraine have spoken about peace and prayer leading up to Russia’s invasion, including Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk.
“At this tragic time, all our hope is in God,” Shevchuk said in a statement. “At this tragic time, the fate of Ukraine depends on our ability to self-organize and act responsibly and take responsibility for the future of our state.”
In the final moments of Zelinskyi’s video, he asks viewers to pray with him, reciting a well-known verse from the Bible.
“Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, Amen.”
This story was originally published February 25, 2022 at 3:43 PM with the headline "‘Hope is in God.’ Russia’s invasion in Ukraine prompts pleas from pope, faith leaders."
