Pope blasts Russian conflict in Ukraine, claiming God doesn't assist it

Pope Francis made references to the conflict in Ukraine at a spiritual convention Wednesday, the place the Russian Orthodox patriarch was markedly absent.

The Pope was amongst different spiritual leaders from Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, and different religion teams on the Seventh Congress of Leaders of World and Conventional Religions in Kazakhstan. Notably, Patriarch Kirill was not on the assembly in protest. Francis has beforehand referred to the Russian Orthodox chief as Russian President Vladimir Putin's "altar boy" for his assist of the conflict in Ukraine.

"He who permits evil and doesn't oppose it can't be considered a real believer," Francis mentioned in the course of the second day of the convention, quoting Kazakh poet Abai Qunanbaiuly. "At finest, he's a half-hearted believer."

LITHUANIA BANS RUSSIAN ORTHODOX PATRIARCH KIRILL FROM ENTERING COUNTRY

"God is peace. He guides us at all times in the best way of peace, by no means that of conflict," Francis mentioned. "Allow us to commit ourselves, then, much more to insisting on the necessity for resolving conflicts not by the inconclusive technique of energy, with arms and threats, however by the one means blessed by heaven and worthy of man: encounter, dialogue and affected person negotiations."

Francis seemingly commented on Kirill's absence earlier than he addressed the convention in a tweet Tuesday, noting a necessity for "leaders who allow peoples to develop in mutual understanding and dialogue, thus giving beginning to the dedication to construct a extra secure and peaceable world, with a watch to future generations. This may take understanding, endurance and dialogue with all."

"Aware of the wrongs and errors of the previous, allow us to unite our efforts to make sure that the Almighty won't ever once more be held hostage to the human thirst for energy," Francis mentioned, referring to the Catholic Church's long-standing involvement in wars prior to now, particularly the Crusades within the 1000s. "The sacred mustn't ever be a prop for energy, nor energy a prop for the sacred!"

The Pope famous the deaths reported in Ukraine throughout a mass of 6,000, questioning aloud what number of extra will happen earlier than a dialogue begins between the 2 international locations.

"Allow us to make investments not in additional weapons, however in schooling, that peace often is the fruit of persevering dedication to schooling, supporting the aspirations of the younger to growth and a serene future," Francis tweeted later. "Allow us to Pray collectively that our world could discover ways to construct peace, not least by limiting the arms race and changing the big sums spent on conflict into concrete help to peoples."

Metropolitan Anthony, the Russian Orthodox Church's No. 2 in command, attended the convention in Kirill's place. Whereas Anthony admitted to reporters on the convention that the Pope's "altar boy" remark was "not useful for the unity of Christians," he did declare the Pope advised him he'd like to fulfill with Kirill. The final time the 2 met was in 2016.

Kazakhstan was the final of the Soviet Union's republics to declare independence in 1991 and has a Catholic inhabitants of 125,000 amongst its 19 million.