Pope Francis in Kazakhstan: “Cry of the many who beg for peace”

In his first speech at the World Congress of Religions, Pope Francis spoke of the “mad and tragic war” in Ukraine. He campaigned for more dialogue with Kazakh President Tokayev.

It was clear and sharp words that Pope Francis found in Kazakhstan. He came in the middle of a “crazy and tragic war,” declared the head of the church just a few hours after his arrival in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. It was a war that was triggered by the “invasion of Ukraine”. That’s another reason why he wants to “intensify the cry of the many who are begging for peace” in Kazakhstan.

Pope Francis is attending the World Congress of Religions in Kazakhstan for the first time ever. It is a historic visit, which was duly staged as such by the Kazakh President Quasim-Jomart Tokayev. The flags of Kazakhstan and the Vatican were flying everywhere. During his speech, Tokaev repeatedly thanked the pontiff for attending the congress.

praise for democratization

Kazakhstan has been committed to a so-called “multi-vector foreign policy” for years. This is what Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Wasilenko said ARDthat this means “equally close, beneficial and equal relations” with all neighboring countries: with Russia, as well as with China and the European Union. Since the start of the Ukraine war, however, it has become increasingly difficult for the Central Asian country to build a bridge between Russia and the West.

This is also why Pope Francis praised the Kazakh President for his commitment to a process of democratization in his country. This is a “meritorious and demanding journey” in which Tokayev must continue towards the goal without looking back.

“We need leaders who will enable peoples to understand and talk to one another on an international level,” the pontiff read in his speech, calling for a new spirit in Helsinki. Back then, in 1975, in the middle of the Cold War, both European and Soviet states committed themselves to a dialogue with the aim of overcoming the divide between East and West. And to do this, the head of the church warned, understanding, patience and dialogue with everyone is needed: “I repeat: with everyone.”

Yet this dialogue of all things threatened to fail at the World Congress in Kazakhstan. The head of the Russian Orthodox Church canceled his participation in advance. Patriarch Kirill cannot travel to Kazakhstan for “numerous reasons”.

Only on Monday did the Russian Orthodox leader call on his believers in a service to pray for Vladimir Putin. Russia is going through a difficult time, according to Patriarch Kirill, his country is on a “fateful mission” against foreign powers. Also because of such statements, Pope Francis had warned Cyril in the past against becoming “Putin’s altar boy”. Despite Kyril’s absence, there could be a meeting with representatives of the Russian Orthodox delegation in Nur-Sultan.

“Crossroads in Human History”

Words like “peace” and “dialogue” were repeatedly used in the speeches of Tokayev and the head of the Catholic Church. Both also agreed that the world is currently at what Tokayev called in his speech “a crossroads in human history.” The family of nations stands on the precipice of escalating geopolitical tensions, he warned. The global economy is suffering and ethnic and religious divisions are becoming the new normal.

They are messages that both are likely to send to neighboring Russia, even if neither Russia nor the Russian head of state are named. Her speeches, while diplomatic, are also unequivocal.