The mayor of Melitopol of Ukraine Ivan Fedorov was present at the mass.
Pope Francis condemned the brutality of the war in Ukraine during the Easter Mass, which took place in the Vatican on Saturday in St. Peter's Basilica, according to the Voice of America.
The mayor of Melitopol Ivan FedorovHe was detained by the Russian military last month and later released as a result of an exchange of prisoners. The Pope condemned the “darkness and cruelty of war.”
“We all pray for you and with you. We pray because there is so much suffering. We can only offer you our society, our prayers and tell you, “Be courageous, we are with you,” Francis said.
At the end of the sermon he said: Christ is risen! in Ukrainian.
Read also: The Pope kissed the flag of Ukraine and condemned the massacre in Bucha
Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re replaced the Pope as the chief priest in the service during which the Easter procession took place in almost complete darkness up the central nave of the largest temple in Christendom. Dad himself was unable to lead the service, probably due to exacerbation of sciatic nerve neuralgia. Pope Francis read his sermon while sitting.
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