On Good Friday, the streets of Rome traditionally passed the Cross Road all year. "The words of peace in a planet full of war" are the subject chosen by Pope Francis. Ukrainian representatives, like last year, are outraged at the way in which the Holy See and Pope Francis mention to the war fought in Ukraine.
Last year in the Way of the Cross the cross was carried among others by a Russian and Ukrainian. This year, the cross was carried, among another things, by those who experienced suffering, torture, had to flee conflict and violence. Among them were young Russian and young Ukrainian.
Ukrainian and Russian youths prayed together on Good Friday night at the tenth station (“Jesus with his robe bare”). "The words of peace from young people from Ukraine and Russia" is the title of the reflection in which both boys spoke about their experience.
The Russian said, “I am a Russian boy... while I say this, I almost feel guilty, but at the same time I do not realize why and I feel twice as bad. The tears of happiness and dreams for the future. For 2 years, I've seen my grandma and my parent crying. My older brother's death was reported in the letter, and I inactive remember him on his 18th birthday, smiling and shining as the sun, all just a fewer weeks before we left on a long journey. Everyone told us we had to be proud, but there was only so much suffering and sadness at home. The same thing happened with Dad and Grandpa, and they're gone too, and we don't know anything about them. 1 of my schoolmates with large fear whispered in my ear that there was a war. Returning home, I wrote a prayer: Jesus, please, let peace reign all over the planet and that we may all be brothers.”
In turn, the young Ukrainian is simply a fugitive from Mariupola. He said: “Last year my father and parent prepared me and my younger brother to take us to Italy, where our grandma has been working for more than 20 years. We left Mariupola last night. At the border, soldiers stopped my father and told him he had to stay in Ukraine to fight. We took the bus 2 more days. erstwhile we got to Italy, I was sad. I felt that I was deprived of everything; that I was completely naked. I didn't talk the language, and I didn't have any friends. [...] Grandma tried hard to make me feel happy, but I kept saying I wanted to go home. Finally, my household decided to return to Ukraine. The situation here is inactive difficult, there is war everywhere, the city is destroyed. "But with the aid of the good God, peace will return."
A spokesperson for the Ministry of abroad Affairs in Kiev said: “We are disappointed that the Holy See did not take into account the arguments of the Ukrainian side regarding the offensive nature of specified a gesture. The joint participation of Ukrainians and Russians distorts reality.” His awakening was besides expressed by the Ukrainian ambassador to the Vatican of Andriy Jurash.
I do not realize what Mr president and the Ambassador mean. Do they truly anticipate Pope Francis to consult with them on spiritual ceremonies?
Łukasz Marcin Jastrzębski
