On Monday, the 28th of August, Pope Francis faced criticism after advising young Russians to recognize their connection to historical tsars like Peter the Great, whom President Vladimir Putin has held up as an example to justify the invasion of Ukraine, reports Reuters.
Holding his speech in Spanish, at the end Francis shifted to impromptu Italian and said: “Don’t forget [your] heredity. You are heirs of the great Russia – the great Russia of the saints, of kings, the great Russia of Peter the Great, of Catherine II, the great Russian empire, cultured,
[a country of] great culture and great humanity. You are the heirs of the great mother Russia. Go forward.”
The Vatican released the prepared text of the speech on the 26th of August, omitting the impromptu final paragraph.
Oleg Nikolenko, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, remarked on Facebook that such imperialist propaganda, citing “spiritual ties” and the need to protect “great Mother Russia,” is used by the Kremlin to rationalize the deaths of thousands of Ukrainians and the devastation of Ukrainian communities,
stating that such perceptions of power can fuel aggression.
Last year, Putin invoked Tsar Peter the Great to justify actions in Ukraine. He frequently uses historical references for this purpose.
The Italian editorial Il Sismografo found the Pope’s remarks unusual in a historical context. It noted Catherine the Great’s annexation of Crimea and protection of Jesuits during her reign. The editorial also mentioned Pope Francis’ Jesuit affiliation.
Previously, Pope Francis has condemned Russia’s actions in Ukraine as brutal, asserting they violate the nation’s right to self-determination.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba labelled the Pope’s words unfair, leading him to summon the Vatican’s Ambassador in Kyiv to protest.
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