Since the beginning of war in Ukraine, the Pope and the Vatican have been doing and saying all that they can to promote a swift and peaceful resolution to the violence and killings taking place on a daily basis. So far, more than 42,000 civilians, 30,000 Ukrainian forces and 50,000 Russian forces have been killed. More than 300,000 have been wounded on both sides, with more than 23,000 missing.
These horrible statistics flesh out the meaning of what Pope John Paul II said in reference to war, “Wars generally do not resolve the problems for which they are fought and therefore, in addition to causing horrendous damage, they prove ultimately futile. War is a defeat for humanity. Only in peace can respect for human dignity and its inalienable rights be guaranteed.”
While no pope has ever visited Russia, Pope Francis, in an unprecedented move, sent his personal envoy for peace, Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi of Bologna, to Moscow to advocate for peace, at the end of June. The 67-year-old cardinal hails from the Sant’Egidio Catholic Community, which specializes in diplomacy and peace efforts. Cardinal Zuppi first met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv before traveling to Moscow. There, he had the opportunity to meet with the primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow. This meeting built upon the message that Pope Francis shared in a video call with Patriarch Kirill in March 2022, when he reiterated the importance of “uniting as pastors” in promoting peace and reminded Kirill that the Church does not use “the language of politics, but the language of Jesus.”
At the meeting, Patriarch Kirill said he was happy to welcome Cardinal Zuppi and his entourage, which he described as “brothers I know well.” He added, “We appreciate that His Holiness sent you to Moscow. You are the head of one of the largest metropolises [dioceses] in Italy and a famous archbishop who is carrying out an important service for his people.” Just the fact that Cardinal Zuppi was welcomed in Moscow brings to the forefront a statement made months ago hinting at Vatican efforts for peace by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, secretary of state at the Vatican, when he said, “We are in a difficult moment; we must recognize this. But this does not mean that we are at ground zero or that there is a frost between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church. Channels exist, and attempts at dialogue exist.”
The meeting with the patriarch of Moscow was followed July 18 with Cardinal Zuppi traveling to Washington to meet with President Joseph Biden. This three-day trip to the United States was billed by the Vatican as an attempt to promote peace and support humanitarian efforts to help those suffering. The Vatican described Cardinal Zuppi’s visit as seeking “to facilitate the exchange of ideas and opinions regarding the current tragic situation as well as to provide support for humanitarian initiatives aimed at alleviating the suffering of the most vulnerable people, particularly children.”
To this end, Pope Francis said, “It is a question of humanity before it is a question of the spoils of war, or a displacement caused by war. All human gestures help, but gestures of cruelty do not help. We must do everything possible.” The Ukrainian government says that Russia forcibly deported thousands of Ukrainian children to Russia over the course of the war.
Just before Cardinal Zuppi’s visit to Washington, Archbishop Christophe Pierre, the apostolic nuncio to the United States, whom Pope Francis recently named a cardinal, said the visit had the full trust of the pope to convey the Vatican’s peace efforts. “The Holy Father wants to help in the process of peace, and he is fully aware of the difficulties of the situations. … He wants to introduce dialogue into the discussions,” he said.
At his meeting with President Biden, Cardinal Zuppi handed him a letter from Pope Francis “emphasizing the Pope’s sorrow for the suffering caused by war.” The White House offered a statement following the 2 1/2 hour meeting, stating, “They discussed the Holy See’s efforts providing humanitarian aid to address the widespread suffering caused by Russia’s continuing aggression in Ukraine, as well as the Vatican’s advocacy for the return of forcibly deported Ukrainian children.”
May these efforts by Pope Francis and the Vatican bring an end to hostilities and foster the greater cause of peace in Ukraine and in all places in our world suffering from the ravages of war and violence. May the Prince of Peace, our common Lord who we worship, bring all his faithful to the sanity of living in peace with one another.
Father Joseph D. Wallace is diocesan director of Ecumenical and Inter-religious Affairs and pastor of Christ the Redeemer Parish, Atco.
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