Ukrainians are critical
Pope celebrates Stations of the Cross with controversial gesture
04/16/2022, 00:28
Two friends, both nurses, one from Ukraine, the other from Russia, carry the cross together at the request of Pope Francis during the Good Friday prayer. Critics see this as a trivialization of the Russian war against Ukraine.
Despite criticism from the Ukraine, a Ukrainian and a Russian woman carried the cross together for a piece at the traditional Way of the Cross devotion in Rome. The Vatican wanted to set a sign of peace with the action on the evening of Good Friday. However, bishops and church representatives from Ukraine had previously spoken out against the action because they believed that it would not adequately portray Russia as an aggressor.
Pope Francis, who celebrated the Way of the Cross in front of around 10,000 believers at the Colosseum for the first time since 2019 after two Corona cancellations, stuck to the plan with the two women. At least the Vatican changed the text that was then read out at short notice. The 85-year-old pontiff, who has long suffered from knee problems, watched the procession of the “Via Crucis” seated in front of the ancient amphitheater. The two nurses and friends who live in Rome carried the cross in memory of the Passion of Jesus Christ at the 13th and penultimate station. This commemorates the death of Christ. The text for this section of the trail has been changed at short notice.
“In the face of death, silence speaks louder than words,” it said. Then those present were asked to pray in silence for peace in the world. The Pope buried his face behind his hand. The originally planned text was: “Where are you Lord? Where are you hiding? We want our old life back. Why all this? What mistake have we made? Why have you failed us? Why have you failed our peoples ?” Many Ukrainians found this inappropriate.
Cardinal visits Borodyanka
Before that, Francis celebrated the Good Friday liturgy “Passion of the Lord” in St. Peter’s Basilica. The celebration commemorating the death of Jesus Christ on the cross was presided over by the head of the Catholic Church – but the sermon was given by Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa, the official preacher of the papal house. Francis watched the celebration largely seated; the 85-year-old has been suffering from knee problems for a long time.
He also refrained from lying down and praying in front of the altar as usual at the beginning of the Good Friday liturgy. Instead, the Argentine stopped for a moment. Meanwhile, Cardinal Konrad Kraevski, sent by the Vatican because of the war in Ukraine, visited the Kiev suburb of Borodyanka, which had been badly destroyed and from which Russian atrocities were reported. The Pole Krajewski – who is responsible for distributing alms in the Vatican – prayed in front of a mass grave, as the Holy See announced. “There are no tears, no words,” said the Curia cardinal about the experience.