Enlarge image
Pope Francis
Photo: Uncredited / dpa
In the hope of an early end to the Ukraine war, Pope Francis performed an extraordinary church ritual.
The pontiff dedicated Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on Friday.
Through the ceremony, the Pope is asking for even closer assistance from the Blessed Mother Mary for the countries.
At the invitation of the head of the church, many priests and bishops around the world did the same, in Germany, for example, Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki in Cologne Cathedral.
The ritual dates back to reports of Marian apparitions in Fatima, Portugal in July 1917, when the mother of Jesus is said to have instructed three children to consecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary so that the country would not apostate from the Christian faith.
During the Cold War, the prayer was repeated several times.
Francis said in the sermon before around 3,500 believers in St. Peter's Basilica: "These days we are receiving new news and images of death at home, while bombs are destroying the homes of so many of our defenseless Ukrainian brothers and sisters." Unlike Woelki, however, he called Russia not as an aggressor.
»This is an expression of helplessness«
The Vatican has been trying to play a diplomatic role and help for peace since the outbreak of war.
In order to continue to be heard in Moscow and by the Russian Orthodox Church, which is influential there, the Pope refrains from condemning the Russians as attackers.
"We have forgotten the lessons of the tragedies of the last century and the sacrifice of the millions who died in the world wars," Francis prayed under a statue of Mary placed in front of the altar.
»We have lost humanity, we have lost peace.
We have become capable of all violence and destruction.
We urgently need your maternal intervention.”
"This is an expression of helplessness," said dogma historian Michael Seewald of the dpa.
»The moment you no longer see any possibility of exerting political influence, you turn to the hereafter.«
dop/dpa
