Pope Francis prays for children suffering in Ukraine
As Christmas approaches next Sunday, Pope Francis recalled the many children of Ukraine who will be unable to celebrate the birth of Christ in peace and security.
Meeting with children assisted by the Vatican’s “Santa Marta” Pediatric Dispensary on Sunday, as well as their parents and volunteer staff, the Pope urged everyone to pray for peace in Ukraine.
“We must not forget the children of Ukraine,” he said. “So many children are suffering from war, and in other parts of the world they also suffer from injustice.”
He pointed to a Ukrainian flag in the Paul VI Hall, where the audience took place, and noted the word “peace” written on it.
“If the Lord gives us this joy to celebrate Christmas like this, all together, in peace, let us also think of those who suffer and let us pray together for them.”
Prayer for suffering Ukrainians
Separately, at the Angelus prayer in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis again prayed for peace in Ukraine and for all those suffering from the ongoing war.
“We ask the Virgin Mary… to touch the hearts of those who can put a stop to the war in Ukraine. Let us not forget the suffering of those people, especially children, the elderly, and those who are ill. Let us pray, pray [for them]!” - Vatican News
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.