Unprecedented act: Pope visits Moscow’s ambassador

Unprecedented act
Pope pays visit to Moscow’s ambassador

02/25/2022 10:32 p.m

War breaks out in the middle of Europe and the Pope himself goes to the aggressor’s embassy. While Argentine media reports that Francis offered himself to the Kremlin as a mediator, Russia denies that the Holy Father went so far.

Pope Francis has taken a highly unusual step in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He appeared in person at the Russian embassy in the Vatican this Friday, the Papal States announced. “He went there to express his concern about the war,” Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said. He did not give details. According to observers, this is the first time that a pope has visited an embassy directly during a conflict. Foreign envoys are usually summoned by the Vatican Secretary of State or meet with the Pope at the Apostolic Palace.

The pope spent more than 30 minutes in the embassy, ​​Bruni said. However, he did not want to comment on a report that the 85-year-old had offered to mediate with the Vatican. This was suggested by an Argentine media report. Francis is from Argentina.

Russia denies mediation proposal

According to Russian media reports, Ambassador Aleksandr Avdeev denied that the Pope had offered his mediation services. He is quoted by the RIA Novosti news agency as saying that Francis expressed “great concern” about the humanitarian situation in Ukraine and called for “protection of children, protection of the sick and suffering and protection of people”.

Pope Francis had already tried to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict before the invasion. “Let’s not forget: War is madness,” said the head of the Roman Catholic Church at his general audience in the Vatican. Pope Francis declared Ash Wednesday a day of prayer and fasting for peace in Ukraine.

The Vatican announced separately in the afternoon that Francis could not lead the service on Ash Wednesday due to acute knee pain. He also has to do without a trip to Florence this Sunday.