Ukraine-Russia War

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Pope Francis greets pilgrims at his general audience on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at the Vatican.

At general audience, Pope Francis pleads for Ukraine's children

Nov 27, 2024

By AC Wimmer

“Think of the Ukrainian children and young people who suffer at this time without heating in a very harsh winter,”... Read more

Black smoke billows over the city after drone strikes in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on Sept. 19, 2023, amid Russia's military invasion on Ukraine. Drones attacked Ukraine's western city of Lviv early on Sept. 19, and explosions rang out, causing a warehouse fire and wounding at least one person.

Pope Francis calls for end to use of landmines as Biden allows U.S. mines in Ukraine

Nov 26, 2024

By Madalaine Elhabbal

“These treacherous devices continue to cause terrible suffering to civilians, especially children,” the pope said.  Read more

Archbishop Boris Godziak, Archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Archiparagi of Philadelphia.

Ukrainian archbishop encourages Trump to go to Ukraine

Nov 23, 2024

By Kate Quiñones

Archbishop Borys Gudziak tells EWTN News he has been encouraging President-elect Donald Trump to visit Ukraine to help “build a... Read more

Pope Francis greets pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for his Wednesday general audience on Nov. 20, 2024, at the Vatican.

Pope Francis reads Ukrainian student’s moving testimony of faith at general audience

Nov 20, 2024

By Kristina Millare

“Through this pain, I am learning greater love. Pain is not only a road to anger and despair; if based... Read more

Pope Francis attends a Vatican screening of the 2022 documentary “Freedom on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom” on Feb. 24, 2023.

Pope Francis conveys closeness to Ukraine in letter marking 1,000th day of war

Nov 19, 2024

By Kristina Millare, Zoe Romanowsky

In a letter sent to Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas, apostolic nuncio to Ukraine, Pope Francis expressed his great sorrow for the... Read more

Pope Francis shakes hands with pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for his Wednesday general audience on Nov. 6, 2024, at the Vatican.

Pope Francis at general audience urges people to pray for Spain flood victims

Nov 6, 2024

By Kristina Millare

“I wished to greet the Virgen de los Desamparados,” the pope told the crowds of pilgrims at the Vatican after... Read more

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi (left) arrives at the Vatican for Synod on Synodality meetings on Oct. 10, 2024. The Vatican announced on Monday, Oct. 14, that the cardinal returned to Moscow to meet with Russian authorities as part of the peace mission entrusted to him by Pope Francis.

Cardinal Zuppi returns to Moscow as Vatican peace envoy

Oct 14, 2024

By Courtney Mares

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi returned to Moscow on Monday to meet with Russian authorities as part of the peace mission entrusted... Read more

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shakes hands with Pope Francis during a meeting at the Vatican on Friday, Oct. 11, 2024.

Pope Francis, Zelenskyy hold fourth meeting since outbreak of Russia-Ukraine war

Oct 11, 2024

By Kristina Millare

The Oct. 11 meeting is the fourth meeting the Ukrainian president has had with the Holy Father since the outbreak... Read more

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin attends a plenary session at the Summit on Peace in Ukraine at the Burgenstock resort near Lucerne, Switzerland, on June 16, 2024.

Parolin: International human rights conventions must be safeguarded in Russia-Ukraine war

Sep 18, 2024

By Kristina Millare

Cardinal Pietro Parolin thanked Russia human rights commissioner Tatiana Moskalkova for her role in securing the June 28 release of... Read more

During the Sept. 9, 2024, session of the International Eucharistic Congress in Quito, Ecuador, Bishop Hryhoriy Komar of Sambir, Ukraine, gave his testimony about the horrors of the war in his country.

‘Our strength is the Eucharist’: In Quito, Ukrainian bishop tells how his people endure war

Sep 11, 2024

By Diego López Marina

The secret of the resilience of the Ukrainian people in the midst of the ongoing war comes “from union with... Read more

Pope Francis greets the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square on Aug. 25, 2024.

Pope Francis on Ukraine’s Russian Orthodox Church ban: ‘Churches are not to be touched!’

Aug 26, 2024

By Daniel Payne

A new Ukrainian law, which passed the country’s Parliament on Aug. 20, bans the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukrainian territory. Read more

Sviatoslav Shevchuk is major archbishop of Kyiv–Galicia and primate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.

Catholic archbishop defends Ukrainian ban on Russian Orthodox Church activities

Aug 22, 2024

By Jonah McKeown

The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church said Russia has used the Russian Orthodox Church “as a tool of... Read more

A Ukrainian military vehicle drives from the direction of the border with Russia carrying blindfolded men in Russian military uniforms in the Sumy region on Aug. 13, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Vatican secretary of state says Ukraine’s military advances into Russia are ‘worrying’

Aug 14, 2024

By Tyler Arnold

Cardinal Pietro Parolin is expressing concerns about Ukraine’s recent military advances inside Russian territory, warning the actions could further escalate... Read more

Smoke billows into the air behind a Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church in Kyiv, Ukraine, after a missile attack on July 8, 2024.

Ukrainian Greek archbishop condemns ‘horrifying’ attack on children’s hospital

Jul 9, 2024

By Daniel Payne

Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk said in a video accompanying a Monday press release that the strike was “a sin that cries... Read more

At his Angelus address June 9, 2024, Pope Francis  asked people to pray for the people who are suffering in Myanmar and in Ukraine, giving a special shoutout to some Ukrainians who were in the crowd waving flags.

EU bishop: Elections show citizens concerned about Ukraine war

Jun 25, 2024

By Hannah Brockhaus

The bishop also spoke about the importance of pushing the new EU commission and parliament to reinforce diplomatic action toward... Read more

Pope Francis meets with Russia’s new ambassador to the Vatican Ivan Soltanovsky on Sept. 18, 2023, at the Vatican.

Pope Francis meets with Russian ambassador to the Vatican

Jun 25, 2024

By Jonah McKeown

Pope Francis met with Ivan Soltanovsky, Russia’s ambassador to the Holy See, on June 22. Read more

The Vatican's Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin attends a plenary session at the summit on peace in Ukraine at the luxury Burgenstock resort near Lucerne, Switzerland, on June 16, 2024.

Vatican’s secretary of state rues Russia’s absence at Ukraine peace conference

Jun 21, 2024

By Jonah McKeown

“Peace is always made together,” Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said June 19 as reported by Vatican News.  Read more

Members of ACLI (Italian Christian Workers' Associations) hold a sign with the word "peace" in Italian, in St. Peter's Square on June 1, 2024.

Pope Francis: Building peace requires ‘taking a risk’

Jun 1, 2024

By Hannah Brockhaus

Being peacemakers in the style of Jesus Christ, while necessary and valuable, can also be risky, Pope Francis said as... Read more

St. Stanislaus of Szczepanów is depicted as the patron saint of Poland in a miniature painted by Stanisław Samostrzelnik of Mogiła.

Why did Pope Francis invoke St. Stanislaus for peace in Ukraine and Israel?

May 8, 2024

By Peter Pinedo

The pope prayed that the intercession of St. Stanislaus “obtain ... the gift of peace in Europe and throughout the... Read more

Speaking in his Angelus address on March 3, 2024, about the Israel-Hamas war, Pope Francis made an emotional plea for negotiations to reach a deal that both frees the hostages immediately and grants civilians access to humanitarian aid.

Ukrainian officials criticize Pope Francis’ ‘white flag’ remarks on Russia-Ukraine war

Mar 12, 2024

By Matthew Santucci

“Our flag is a yellow and blue one. This is the flag by which we live, die, and prevail. We... Read more