The Vatican stepped in to make clear the remarks after Pope Francis advised younger individuals they have been the “heirs of the nice Russia”.
The Vatican tried to defend Pope Francis on Tuesday after he praised Russia’s imperialist previous throughout a video convention with Russian Catholic youths, insisting he by no means meant to encourage modern-day Russian aggression.
The Vatican spokesman, Matteo Bruni, mentioned Francis merely needed to reward the optimistic facets of Russia’s non secular and cultural historical past when he exalted Russia’s imperial rulers Peter and Catherine the Nice, inspired younger individuals to do not forget that previous and praised their manner of “being Russian.”
Francis “definitely didn’t need to exalt imperialistic logic or authorities personalities, who have been cited to point sure historic intervals of reference,” Bruni mentioned in a press release.
The Vatican, and earlier than it the Holy See’s embassy in Ukraine, spoke out after Ukraine’s Greek Catholic chief, His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, complained about Francis’ remarks.
The Vatican by no means printed the feedback, however they have been shared on social media following Francis’ video convention with a Catholic youth encounter Friday in St Petersburg.
Francis delivered a ready textual content during which he inspired the younger Russians to be “artisans of peace” and to sow reconciliation “on this winter of struggle.”
However in his off-the-cuff remarks, Francis advised the younger Russians to at all times bear in mind their previous.
“Always remember your inheritance. You’re the heirs of the nice Russia. The good Russia of the saints, of the kings, of the nice Russia of Peter the Nice, of Catherine II, that nice imperial Russia, cultivated, with a lot tradition and humanity,” Francis mentioned, in response to the video clip.
“Always remember this inheritance. You’re the heirs of the nice Mom Russia, go ahead. And thanks. Thanks on your manner of being, on your manner of being Russian,” he added.
Shevchuk mentioned the reference to Russia’s imperial leaders “check with the worst instance of Russian imperialism and excessive nationalism.”
“We worry that these phrases are understood by some as an encouragement of exactly this nationalism and imperialism, which is the true explanation for the struggle in Ukraine,” he mentioned.
The Vatican embassy in Kyiv mentioned Francis’ phrases had been misinterpreted and distanced itself from such interpretations, saying Francis by no means inspired “imperialistic concepts.”
ADVERTISEMENT“Quite the opposite, he’s a satisfied opponent and critic of any type of imperialism or colonialism, amongst all peoples and conditions,” the embassy mentioned in a press release.
Francis has often enraged either side within the struggle in Ukraine along with his off-the-cuff remarks.
He has seemingly justified Russia’s invasion by saying NATO was “barking at Russia’s gates” with its eastward enlargement. On the similar time, Moscow lodged a proper diplomatic protest when he blamed many of the cruelty of the struggle on Chechens and different minorities, in an obvious effort to spare ethnic Russian troops from criticism.
On Tuesday, the spokesman for President Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Peskov, praised Francis’ “deep” grasp of Russian historical past and mentioned Russian lecturers and colleges have been attempting to show younger Russians of their heritage.
Whereas Francis has continuously voiced solidarity with the “martyred” Ukrainian individuals, the Vatican has insisted it isn’t taking sides within the struggle, in hopes of attempting to stay a impartial participant looking for peace.