By Devin Watkins - As the extent of the massacre of civilians in the Ukrainian town of Bucha continues to become clear, Pope Francis has lifted his voice to lament the human tragedy that occurred while Russian troops held the area.

Speaking at the Wednesday General Audience, the Pope said the killing of innocent civilians must cease. “Ever more horrendous cruelties [are occurring], even against civilians, women, and helpless children. They are victims whose innocent blood cries out to heaven and implores.”

Sowing death and destruction

Pope Francis then renewed his appeal for an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

He also invited everyone to pray in silence for a moment to ask God for this intention.

The Pope said that on Tuesday he had received a Ukrainian flag from the town of Bucha.

He then unfurled the faded and war-stained flag and held it up for all to see, saying the flag “came from war, from that martyred city of Bucha.”

Ukrainian refugees with the Pope

 

Child refugees: a ‘fruit of war’

Pope Francis added that several Ukrainian children—now refugees in Italy—were present at the General Audience, and he invited them to come up on the stage with him. 

 

“These children had to flee, and have come to a strange land. This is one of the fruits of war. Let us not forget them, and let us not forget the Ukrainian people.”

A view of a Bucha street after Russia's withdrawal

Bucha massacre

Bucha, a suburban town which lies to the northwest of Kyiv, was held by Russian forces from 27 February until 31 March when troops withdrew from the area.

As Ukrainian troops entered the town—accompanied by members of the international press—apocalyptic-like scenes began to emerge of bodies piled together and burned, along with evidence of execution-style killings of unarmed civilians.

What was once a middle-class suburb has now become a grisly scene of torture and summary killings, with the town’s mayor saying over 320 civilians have been murdered there.

A mass grave has also been found, which could contain over 150 bodies. Satellite images show that many other corpses have lain out on the streets for weeks.

In response to the Bucha massacre, Western governments have ratcheted up sanctions on Russia, which claims the massacre is a hoax.

By Vatican News

Pope Francis will consecrate Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on Friday, 25 March, during the Celebration of Penance that he will preside over at 5pm in St Peter's Basilica.

The Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, said in a statement: “The same act, on the same day, will be performed in Fatima by Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, papal almoner,” who is being sent there by the Pope.  

The day of the Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord was chosen for the consecration.

Martyrdom of the good  착한 사람들의 순교

In the apparition of 13 July 1917, in Fatima, Our Lady had asked for the consecration of Russia to Her Immaculate Heart, stating that if this request were not granted, Russia would spread "its errors throughout the world, promoting wars and persecution of the Church.”

“The good," she added, "will be martyred; the Holy Father will have much to suffer, various nations will be destroyed."

Consecrations of Russia to Mary  성모 마리아님께 러시아를 봉헌 !

After the Fatima apparitions there were various acts of consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Pope Pius XII, on 31 October 1942, consecrated the whole world, and on 7 July 1952 he consecrated the peoples of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in the Apostolic Letter Sacro vergente anno:

On 21 November 1964, Pope St Paul VI renewed the consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart in the presence of the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council.

Pope St. John Paul II composed a prayer for what he called an 'Act of Entrustment' to be celebrated in the Basilica of St Mary Major on 7 June 1981, the Solemnity of Pentecost.

In June 2000, the Holy See revealed the third part of the secret of Fatima.

At the time, the then-Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, pointed out that Sister Lucia, in a letter of 1989, had personally confirmed that this solemn and universal act of consecration corresponded to what Our Lady wanted: "Yes, it was done," wrote the visionary, "just as Our Lady had asked, on 25 March 1984".

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Viva,viva,viva ! Viva,viva, viva ! The great People and the great Ukrainian President  & Mr.Volodymyr Zelenskyy of  the great country Ukraine ! 

The front line of the battle field today in both of Ukuraine and of Russia 

is that the same first line very soon in Taiwan and in North Korera, and that,

of course, same situation will be ours tomorrow in all over the world !

Msgr. Byon ! 기도합시다 ! Let us pray for peace ! for peace ! peace !

Let us pray for peace in Ukraine, in Taiwan, and, in North Korea ! And, for conversion of Russia Moscova together with North Korea through their conversation today among them, by our sincere prayers ! Let us pray for peace  among them and the peace in all over the world !  

Ukrainian nationals gathered in St Peter's Square for the Angelus Prayer  (Vatican Media)

Ukraine: Pope and Zelensky speak again by phone

By Linda Bordoni

Addressing the Italian Parliament via video link on Tuesday morning, Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky referred to a telephone conversation he had with Pope Francis, whom he said, had very important words.

The conversation took place as the war, defined by the Pope on Sunday as “inhuman” and “sacrilegious” continues to escalate.

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Zelensky, in video connection with the Italian Parliament, said his country was on the brink of surviving its war with Russia and repeated his appeal for more sanctions to be imposed on the Kremlin.

He opened his address saying that he had spoken, by telephone, to the Pope whom, he said, "Had some very important words." As for himself, Zelensky said he spoke to the Pope about the resistance of the Ukrainian people "who became an army when it saw evil."

Zelensky also offered news of the telephone call through his official Twitter account: “Talked to @Pontifex. Told His Holiness about the difficult humanitarian situation and the blocking of rescue corridors by Russian troops. The mediating role of the Holy See in ending human suffering would be appreciated. Thanked for the prayers for Ukraine and peace.”

Ukrainian Ambassador to Holy See

 

Ukraine's in pectore Ambassador to the Holy See, Andrii Yurash, had also tweeted news of the telephone conversation adding that the Pope assured the Ukrainian President that he is "praying" for Ukraine and is doing "everything possible to end the war."

According to the Ambassador, Zelensky told the Pope "His Holiness is the most awaited guest in Ukraine."

 

The invitation to Pope Francis to visit Kyiv, had already been expressed in a letter by the mayor of Kyiv, Vitalij Klyčko. A letter to which the Pope responded, (as confirmed by the director of the Holy See Press Office), reiterating his closeness "to the suffering of the city, its people, those who had to flee and those who are called to administer it". 

Telephone call on 26 February

 

It is not the first time the Pope and Zelensky have had contact via telephone. On 26 February, two days after the Russian invasion and as news of escalating violence increased by the hour, Pope Francis expressed to the president "his deepest sorrow for the tragic events that are taking place in your country." 

 

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Pope Francis' decision to consecrate Russia, Ukraine and the whole of humanity to Our Lady of Fatima ur Lady of Fatima 25/03/2022   

 the Immaculate Heart of MaryOur Lady of Fatima  (ANSA)

CHURCH

• FATIMA
• POPE FRANCIS
• RUSSIA
• UKRAINE
• VIRGIN MARY

Theological significance of Act  of Consecration explained

This Friday afternoon Pope Francis will consecrate Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It is a gesture that will take place in St Peter’s Basilica and also in Fatima where the Pope has sent Cardinal Konrad Krajewski. In an interview with Father Stefano Cecchin, OFM, President of the International Pontifical Marian Academy, he says "Peace is always born from God and therefore, conforming to the heart of She who loves him immensely."

 Fabio Colagrande and Benedetta Capelli - Vatican City 

As children turn to their Mother, so mankind entrusts itself to Mary, Queen of Peace, in the midst of the storm, of a war unleashed a month ago between Russia and Ukraine. "To you, we consecrate the future of the whole human family, the needs and expectations of every people, the anxieties and hopes of the world.” These words of the Act of Consecration of Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary will resound today at 5pm, local time, in St Peter's Basilica, when the Pope will preside over the Rite of Reconciliation with individual confession and absolution. The same Act of Consecration will be performed Friday by all the bishops of the world. At Fatima, it will be performed by Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, papal almoner, sent by Pope Francis.

Conforming to the heart of Mary

Pope Francis' decision to consecrate Russia, Ukraine and the whole of humanity to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is in keeping with the tradition of the Church's Magisterium, which has always looked to Our Lady as the one to whom one can entrust oneself in times of trial. In an interview with Vatican Radio - Vatican News, Mariologist Father Stefano Cecchin, OFM, President of the International Pontifical Marian Academy, underlined the theological significance of this consecration: "To find peace we must conform to the heart of Mary, a heart that loves immensely". In October 2020, when meeting the teachers and students of the Marianum Pontifical Theological Faculty in Rome, the Pope had invited them to remain "always attentive to the signs of the Marian times that run through our era". According to Father Cecchin, Pope Francis' decision to renew this act of consecration at this historic moment stems precisely from this attention: "When there are wars in a family, one entrusts oneself to the Mother".lease find below the interview with Father Stefano Cecchin ofm, Mariologist 

Q: Father Cecchin, as a Mariologist, how did you accept the Pope's decision?

I am leaving for Fatima, where a conference is being held on the consecration of Portugal to the Immaculate Conception, which took place in 1931.  It was then the first nation in the world to be consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. In preparing my report, I retraced the Church's journey in the "Land of Mary", as the country of Portugal is called. I realised how this presence, in all the difficult moments of Portugal's history, culminated in the apparitions of Fatima. And it was precisely Fatima that gave us the image of Mary being concerned about the situation in Europe at that time. We were in 1917, there was the Russian revolution, the First World War, and God continued to take care of us through Mary, who, in the apparitions at Fatima, asked for the consecration of Russia. I want to say that if we look carefully for the "signs of the Marian times", as Pope Francis has invited us to do, we will also find them in the present historical moment. So, I found the Pope's decision to renew this consecration and thus to entrust the two nations at war, Russia and Ukraine, to "Mother" truly wonderful.  Pope Francis continues to tell us that the common house is a woman, and is like Mary, that the Church is like Mary and is Mother. We know very well that in a family when children do not get along and there are problems, the mother is the one who tends to bring peace. This act of entrustment is the result of the Pope's intuition and we thank him very much.

Q: What is the theological significance of this consecration?

The Heart of Mary is the heart of God. We must think that Mary is the one who shared her only Son with the Father. That Son was loved immensely by the Father and the Mother, as John Paul II and Paul VI and the whole tradition have reminded us. Mary opened up for us the way to love, who corresponded, more than any other creature, to God's immense love. So we are all called to conform ourselves to this Heart in order to be able to love Jesus in others. We are convinced that true peace does not come from the United Nations, from weapons, or from the politics of States, but only from God. Therefore, if we want to create peace, we must conform our hearts to the one who loved God and who loves the Church and our brothers and sisters, that is, to Mary. Therefore, this is the Immaculate Heart of Mary: a heart that loves immensely, giving itself to all of us. Therefore, if we really want to create peace, we must start from our hearts conformed to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Q: Pope Francis has invited the bishops of the world and their priests to join him in this Act of Consecration and entrustment. Why?

It seems to me that this choice is linked to the concept of synodality that Pope Francis continues to reiterate. The Pope represents the Church, the sense of unity, but unity with the Church and in the Church, which is - as he calls it - our common home. So we are not saved alone, as Pope Francis reminded us in Fratelli Tutti and always together we must ask God for the salvation of the world. "Where two or three are gathered in my name, I will be in the midst of them," the Gospel reminds us, and Pope Francis emphasises that the journey of saving the world we must make together, not alone. This is why at this time the whole Church must be united, as in a great Synod, a great Council, in which God is asked to intervene.

Q: The history of the Church tells us that there have been various acts of consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, made by Pope Francis' predecessors: Pius XII, Paul VI and John Paul II. How can we place the Pope's choice in the context of this tradition?

For us, it is very important that the Magisterium of the Church has always, throughout history, looked to Mary as the one who is the image of the unity of the Church, who takes care of the Church, who, in difficult moments, we must always invoke to help us find the solution. The most beautiful Marian icon, for me, is that of Mary showing us the way: Our Lady Hodigitria, the Virgin who shows us the way to Jesus. The Church with her wisdom enlightened by the Holy Spirit thus continues to reaffirm, as did also Vatican II, that Mary is a sign of sure hope. Let us remember that in the history of the Church, in the most difficult moments the name of Mary has always been invoked, as the pontifical magisterium reminds us. So Pope Francis is in continuity with the teaching of the Church.

Q: Why did the Pope want one of his envoys, Cardinal Krajewski, to make the same gesture at the Shrine of Fatima?

The apparitions of Fatima should be seen in the context of the path taken by Portugal. In the 17th century, the King of Portugal was the first to consecrate himself to the Immaculate Conception, even removing his crown and placing it on the head of the Immaculate Conception. Since then, the Kings of Portugal have never worn the crown, leaving this privilege to the Immaculate Conception. So, we are talking about a land where Mary has always shown her care and help in the most difficult moments. Fatima, therefore, becomes the apex of this manifestation which then went beyond the borders of Portugal to become a reality, therefore an apparition, which is valid for the whole world.  So, it is not just a question of entrusting Russia and Ukraine to Mary's heart, but everything that is injustice, that is against the right of the human person, that is mafia behaviour. All these realities we want to transform together through Mary to make a better world.