Pope makes personal appeal in remarkable Russia embassy trip

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By NICOLE WINFIELD

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis visited the Russian Embassy on Friday to personally “express his concern about the war” in Ukraine, in an extraordinary, hands-on papal gesture that has no recent precedent.

Usually, popes receive ambassadors and heads of state in the Vatican, and diplomatic protocol would have called for the Vatican foreign minister to summon the Russian ambassador. For Francis, the Vatican head of state, to leave the walled city state and travel a short distance to the Russian Embassy to the Holy See was a sign of his anger at Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and his willingness to appeal personally for an end to it.

Vatican officials said they knew of no such previous papal initiative.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni confirmed the visit, and the Vatican said Francis traveled to and from the embassy in a small white car.



FILE - Pope Francis meets Russian President Vladimir Putin on the occasion of their private audience at the Vatican on June 10, 2015. Pope Francis went to the Russian Embassy on Friday, Feb. 25, 2022 to personally “express his concern about the war,” the Vatican said, in an extraordinary, hands-on papal gesture that has no recent precedent. Usually, popes receive ambassadors and heads of state in the Vatican, and diplomatic protocol would have called for the Vatican foreign minister to summon the ambassador. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, Pool)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-europe-religion-florence-e593465a714b79047ee7f6cfc51b0c08

[nycbos]

1. I thought Othodox Christians and Catholics often don't get a long...

Last edited Fri Feb 25, 2022, 05:55 PM - Edit history (1)

... or am I missing something?

[Javaman]

3. apparently they are speaking again...

visiting vlad the impaler will do nothing. he should go see the head of the Orthodox church. they don't fuck around

[pnwmom]

9. Also, about 10% of Ukrainians are Eastern Rite Catholics. Under Russian control

they'd been forced into hiding.

https://www.ncronline.org/news/people/us-based-ukrainian-archbishop-decries-completely-senseless-war

[Hekate]

4. I think the two have been working on healing the schism of 1054 AD since the 2nd Vatican Council

Or if not actually healing the schism, the Church of Rome now recognizes the validity of the Eastern Orthodox sacraments, which is a big deal.

As for Vlad, he has made sure to ostentatiously join the Russian church and to promote and give privileges to same.

Pope Francis is doing what he can.

[pnwmom]

8. And there are also Eastern Orthodox Catholics who are full Catholics.

But Pope Francis is the one who has spoken of his preference for bridges instead of barriers.

It isn't surprising to anyone who follows him that he is concerned for everyone in the Ukraine and everywhere else, for that matter.

[Evolve Dammit]

2. How about a papal condemnation?

[Hekate]

5. Out of his jurisdiction

[Evolve Dammit]

6. Doesn't mean he couldn't say something along those lines? A rogue Pope. I like that.

[Hekate]

7. He is. Nobody before has ever done what he just did.

🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻