By CNS and staff writers
As accusations of war crimes are made against Russia, Pope Francis has again condemned war as a cruel and inhumane act that “goes against the human spirit”.
Returning from a visit to Malta, the pope held an in-flight media conference with journalists and was asked if he had spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“The things I have told to the authorities on all sides are public,” the pope said. “I have not held back any of the things I have said.”
In the latest developments in the war in Ukraine, the country’s prosecutor-general claimed 410 civilian bodies have been recovered in the areas Russia withdrew from in the wider Kyiv region.
And Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of carrying out a genocide in his country.
A series of photos released online showed the aftermath of atrocities committed in Ukraine, including numerous Ukrainians who were seemingly executed.
Despite the gruesome situation, Pope Francis continued the long-held Vatican tradition of not condemning one side in a war.
As well President Zelenskyy said retreating Russian troops are leaving behind land mines, creating a “catastrophic” situation.
Unaware of the images before the in-flight news conference, Pope Francis said the information was further proof that “war is a cruelty.”
“It is the spirit of Cain,” the pope said. “I am willing to do everything that must be done, and the Holy See, the diplomatic side, is doing everything. We cannot make public everything that we do, but we are” doing all that can be done.
While reiterating that a possible trip to Ukraine was “on the table,” the pope said it remained uncertain.
“I say with all sincerity I would like to go. The willingness is always there, there isn’t a ‘no,'” he said. “If it can be done, I must do it. This is all up in the air.”
However, Pope Francis told journalists that a meeting with Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill is in the works.
“We are thinking of doing it in the Middle East,” the pope said.
He also addressed concerns about his health. During his visit in Malta, the pope was seen walking slowly due to leg pain and often would remain seated while riding in his popemobile.
“My health is a bit capricious,” the pope said. “I have this problem with my knee, that creates problems in terms of walking. But it is getting better.”
The pope has suffered for several years from sciatica which, according to the Mayo Clinic, can cause sharp pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, which branches from the lower back through the hips and down each leg.
In late December 2020, the pope did not preside over the traditional end-of-the-year prayer service or the New Year’s Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica due to sciatica.
“We’ll see if it (knee) goes back” to normal, he said. “But we don’t know how the game will end.”
Pope Francis thanked the people of Malta for the “warm and affectionate welcome” he received during his weekend visit.
“These islands breathe a sense of the People of God,” he said, after praying the Angelus following Mass in Florina.
