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Russian presidential spokesman Dmitri Peskov said his government is willing to talk with Pope Francis, the United States, and France to find a solution to the war in Ukraine.
Pope Francis made a direct appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin for an immediate ceasefire on Sunday, imploring him to end the “spiral of violence and death” in Ukraine.
"Before the danger of self-destruction, may humanity understand that the moment has come to abolish war, to erase it from human history before it erases human history," Pope Francis said in another plea for peace more than one month after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
On March 25 Pope Francis led a celebration of the sacrament of penance and the act of consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in St. Peter's Basilica. The following is the full text of the pope's prepared homily.
In his homily, the pope said that the consecration ‘is no magic formula but a spiritual act.’
The pope is asking the bishops ‘to join him in praying for peace and in consecrating and entrusting Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.’
Pope Francis condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and expressed his solidarity with the country on Sunday.
He called for the opening of humanitarian corridors.
The Ukrainian Embassy to the Holy See announced the news on Twitter.
“Today I ask everyone who will listen to us, everyone who will hear our voice from our bleeding Kyiv: fight for peace,” the Ukrainian Catholic leader said.
The pope assured Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk of his closeness, support, and prayers for Ukraine.
“The tragic scenes which everyone feared are unfortunately becoming reality,” Cardinal Parolin said on Thursday.