On the occasion of Orthodox Easter, celebrated this Sunday, Pope Francis once again called for a truce in the fighting in Ukraine and an end to attacks against “
exhausted populations
”.
"
Today marks the two months since the start of this war
", February 24, he recalled after the Sunday prayer in front of thousands of faithful gathered in Saint Peter's Square, some of whom waving the Ukrainian flag.
To discover
LIVE - War in Ukraine: Antony Blinken expected in kyiv this Sunday, two months after the start of the war
Presidential 2022: find here the result of the second round of the election
Read alsoThe pope reveals that a meeting scheduled for June with the Russian patriarch has been canceled
“
Instead of stopping, the war got worse.
It is sad that in these days, which are the most holy and solemn for Christians, we hear more the murderous sound of arms than that of the bells announcing the resurrection
" of Christ, added the pope, who continues to call for peace in Ukraine and to denounce the suffering of civilian populations.
UN appeal
“
And it is sad that weapons are increasingly taking the place of words.
I renew the call for an Easter truce, the smallest tangible sign of a desire for peace.
Let's stop the attacks to relieve the suffering of the exhausted populations
”, continued the Argentine pope.
The UN for its part also called on Sunday for an “
immediate
” truce in Mariupol (southeast) to allow the evacuation of some 100,000 civilians still stuck in this Ukrainian port almost entirely controlled by the Russian army.
Read alsoEaster: the pope's vibrant plea for peace
On April 10, Palm Sunday, the pope had already called for an "
Easter truce to achieve peace through real negotiations
", then he joined Thursday in the appeal launched in this direction by the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres.