Unprecedented step: Pope personally visits Russian embassy due to invasion of Ukraine

Pope Francis visited the Russian embassy on February 25 to personally "express his concerns about the war" in Ukraine, in an unprecedented departure from diplomatic protocol. Writes about it APNews.

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Popes usually receive ambassadors and heads of state at the Vatican, and diplomatic protocol requires the Vatican foreign minister to summon the Russian ambassador. For Francis, leaving the walled city-state and driving the 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 personally call for an end to it.

Vatican officials said they were not aware of a similar previous initiative by the Pope.

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

“The press service of the Holy See confirms that the Pope went to the Russian Embassy to the Holy See to express his concern over the war. He was there for just over half an hour,” Bruni said.

Francis called for dialogue to end the conflict and urged the faithful to declare next Wednesday (March 2) a day of fasting and prayer for peace in Ukraine. But he refrains from publicly addressing Russia, apparently for fear of antagonizing the Russian Orthodox Church.

On the subject: 'Putin, burn in hell': rallies in support of Ukraine were held in the USA

Just this week, at the end of his general audience, he refrained from mentioning Russia when he urged political leaders to check their conscience before God and avoid actions that harm civilians and "discredit international law."

A day later, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin expressed hope for a diplomatic solution to the conflict.

“There is still time for goodwill, there is still room for negotiation, there is still room for the manifestation of wisdom that will protect the legitimate aspirations of everyone and save the world from the madness and horrors of war,” Parolin said in a statement.

The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the largest Eastern Rite church in communion with Rome, welcomed Francis' intervention and expressed hope that it would help dialogue prevail over force.

“The Ukrainian people are crying out for peace. Stop the war,” said His Beatitude Svyatoslav Shevchuk.

News of Francis' initiative came just as the Vatican announced that he had canceled a planned Sunday visit to Florence and would not preside over next week's Ash Wednesday service due to an outbreak of "acute" knee pain. The Vatican said doctors have prescribed a period of rest for the 85-year-old pope.

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The dad, who had suffered for a long time from pain in the sciatic nerve, due to which he limped heavily, suffered for several weeks, according to him, with an inflamed ligament in his right knee.

Francis was due to travel to Florence for a half-day visit on Sunday to address a meeting of Mediterranean bishops and mayors and celebrate Mass. This would be his first pastoral visit to Italy since the pandemic.

He was to preside over an Ash Wednesday service, including a short procession, at a church outside the Vatican in the Aventine district of Rome.

The Argentine Jesuit is generally in good health, although he had 33 centimeters (13 inches) of his colon removed in July. Francis also had part of one lung removed when he was young after a respiratory infection.

Despite the pain in his knee, he plans to continue his work. The Vatican has published the itinerary of Francis' visit to Malta on April 2-3.

As ForumDaily wrote earlier:

• On the night of February 24 began full-scale war of Russia against Ukraine.
• In the light of these events in Russia and around the world, protests against the invasion of Ukraine.
• US and UK imposed broad economic sanctions against Russia due to the invasion of Ukraine.
• February 25 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to sit down at the negotiating table. Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov said that Putin is ready to send a delegation to Minsk (Belarus) for negotiations with Kiev. He specified that the delegation will include representatives of the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the presidential administration.
• In the USA there were large-scale rallies in support of Ukraine.

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