Is Another Crisis Looming? Reactions to Pope’s Words to Young People About Russia - ZENIT - English

Is Another Crisis Looming? Reactions to Pope’s Words to Young People About Russia - ZENIT - English The Holy See Press Office distributed the text of the Pope’s words, but in the distribution it omitted a part, which has now become a topic of controversy in Ukraine. It was possible to note the omission thanks to the fact that the Website of the diocese of the Mother of God published in full the Holy Father’s words. The part that the Holy See didn’t refer to was the part where the Supreme Pontiff said to the young people: “Never forget your roots. You are the heirs of great Russia: the great Russia of saints, of rulers, of the great Russia of Peter I, Catherine II, that great empire, enlightened, of great culture and great humanity, never renounce this patrimony. You are the heirs of great Mother Russia, go forward. And thank you. Thank you for your way of being, for your way of being Russians.” Communiqué of the Apostolic Nunciature in Ukraine on the Pope’s remarks Communiqué following the controversy surrounding the Pope’s remarks. August 28, 2023 05:25ZENIT StaffLocal Church, Pope Francis Share this Entry (ZENIT News / Kiev, 08.28.2023).- We offer the press release issued by the Apostolic Nunciature in Ukraine (the Pope’s “embassy” in that country) following the Pope’s words about Russia, which have hurt the sensitivity of the Ukrainian people, especially after the overexposure in the media: *** The Apostolic Nunciature in Ukraine has observed that in the aftermath of Pope Francis’ telematic interaction with young Catholics from the Russian Federation on 25 August 2023, there have been discussions in Ukrainian and international media regarding certain remarks made by the Roman Pontiff during that event. In particular, according to some interpretations, Pope Francis might have encouraged young Russian Catholics to draw inspiration from historical Russian figures known for imperialistic and expansionist ideas and actions that negatively impacted neighboring populations, including the Ukrainian people. This Pontifical Representation firmly rejects the aforementioned interpretations, as Pope Francis has never endorsed imperialistic notions. On the contrary, he is a staunch opponent and critic of any form of imperialism or colonialism across all peoples and situations. The words of the Roman Pontiff spoken on August 25 are to be understood in this same context. https://zenit.org/2023/08/28/communique-of-the-apostolic-nunciature-in-ukraine-on-the-popes-remarks/?eti=11130 Ukrainian Greek Catholic leader on Pope’s remarks on Russia: “inspires neocolonial ambitions” Statement of His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Head and Father of the UGCC, on the debate concerning some of the statements of His Holiness Pope Francis at a meeting with young Catholics in Russia on August 25, 2023. August 28, 2023 05:28ZENIT StaffChurch and World Share this Entry (ZENIT News / Kiev, 08.28.2023).- We offer the statement of the major archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, in communion with the Pope, following some statements made by the Supreme Pontiff at a meeting with young Catholics on the evening of Friday, August 25, via video-call. The words have caused controversy in the context of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The Pope said specifically in one part of the speech: “Never forget your roots. You are the heirs of the great Russia: the great Russia of saints, of rulers, of the great Russia of Peter I, Catherine II, that great, enlightened empire of great culture and great humanity. Never give up this heritage. You are the heirs of the great Mother Russia, go forward. And thank you. Thank you for your way of being, for your way of being Russian”. This part was omitted from the original communiqué of the Holy See Press Office. *** With great pain and concern, we have learned about the words attributed to His Holiness Pope Francis during the online meeting with Russian Catholic youth on August 25, 2023, in St. Petersburg. We hope that these words of the Holy Father were spoken spontaneously, without any attempt at historical assessment, and certainly not in support of Russia’s imperialistic ambitions. Nevertheless, we share the profound distress they have caused, not only among the bishops, clergy, monks, and faithful of our Church but also among other denominations and religious organizations. At the same time, we are aware of the deep disappointment they have ignited within society. The words about “the great Russia of Peter the Great, Catherine the Great, that grand empire – grand, enlightened, a country of great culture and great humanity” are the worst example of Russian imperialism and extreme nationalism. There is a danger that these words may be perceived as support for the nationalism and imperialism that have caused the war in Ukraine today, a war that brings death and destruction to our people every day. The examples cited by the Holy Father are, in fact, contrary to his doctrine of peace, as he has always condemned all forms of imperialism in the modern world and warned of the dangers of extreme nationalism, emphasizing that it is the cause of the “third world war in parts.” As a Church, we want to affirm that, in the context of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, such statements fuel the neocolonial ambitions of the aggressor country, although we should unequivocally condemn this form of “being Russian.” To prevent any manipulation of intentions, context, and statements attributed to the Holy Father, we hope that the Holy See will explain this situation. The Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, along with all the citizens of our country, condemns the ideology of the “Russian world” and all forms of criminal “Russian identity.” We hope that the Holy Father will heed our voice. In a few days, the bishops of our Church will gather in Rome for the annual Synod of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church. We will have the opportunity to meet with His Holiness and personally convey the doubts and pain of the Ukrainian people, trusting in his paternal care for them. https://zenit.org/2023/08/28/ukrainian-greek-catholic-leader-on-popes-remarks-on-russia-inspires-neocolonial-ambitions/?eti=11130