Pope Francis urged Ukrainian youth on Saturday to persist in dialogue and patriotism while acknowledging the profound challenges of forgiveness amid ongoing warfare during a virtual meeting with young people gathered in Kyiv’s Cathedral of the Resurrection.
The encounter, which connected the pope with approximately 250 young Ukrainians in Kyiv and other locations across Europe and the Americas, began with a moment of prayer followed by testimonies about the impacts of war on their lives and communities.
“War brings famine, war kills,” the pope told participants, encouraging them to be patriots and to “love your homeland, guard your homeland.” He added that “being patriots” represents “the mysticism of young Ukrainians today,” reported ACI Stampa, CNA’s Italian-language news partner.
The meeting carried added significance as Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk warned that air raid sirens could force participants into underground shelters at any moment. Despite a recent airstrike, restored power and internet services allowed the meeting to proceed.
Francis recalled the story of Oleksandr, a young soldier whose Gospel book and rosary the pope now keeps “as relics” on his desk. While encouraging dreams of future peace, the pontiff emphasized that “peace is built through dialogue — never tire of dialogue,” even when challenging.
Addressing a specific question about forgiveness when war leaves deep wounds, the pope acknowledged it as “one of the most difficult things” while sharing his own perspective: “I am helped by this phrase: I must forgive as I have been forgiven. Each of us must look in our own life at how we have been forgiven.”
The virtual audience included moving testimonies, including from a 17-year-old girl whose brother was wounded and surrounded by enemies but later freed and an 18-year-old from Kharkiv who spoke of fallen comrades and destroyed cities.
Before imparting his blessing, Pope Francis made a final plea to remember Ukraine’s young heroes. He encouraged perseverance: “We have all made mistakes, but when one falls, they must get back up and keep moving forward.”
Marco Mancini contributed to this report, originally reported on Catholic News Agency.
