Pope Francis, in some of his harshest implied criticism yet of Russia, decried the “violent aggression” against Ukraine and said there was no justification for the “senseless massacre” that is occurring in the besieged country.
Pope Francis, in some of his harshest implied criticism yet of Russia, decried the “violent aggression” against Ukraine and said there was no justification for the “senseless massacre” that is occurring in the besieged country.
“The violent aggression against Ukraine is unfortunately not slowing down,” the pontiff told about 30,000 people in St. Peter’s Square during his weekly address on March 20.
“It is a senseless massacre where every day slaughters and atrocities are being repeated,” said the pope. Francis has so far avoided mentioning Russia by name, continuing a tradition in which the pontiff refrains from condemning by name one side or the other in a war.
“There is no justification for this,” he said.