Pope: “Churches Cannot Be Touched”
His Holiness spoke out against the Kiev law, which opposes the activities of the Orthodox Church affiliated with the Moscow Patriarchate
Pope Francis is openly opposed to Ukraine’s decision to ban the Orthodox Church affiliated with the Moscow Patriarchate. The pontiff himself explained this at the end of the Angelus prayer on August 25.
“I continue to follow with pain the fighting in Ukraine and the Russian Federation and, thinking about the recent laws passed in Ukraine, I fear for the freedom of those who pray, because those who truly pray always pray for all.”
The pontiff’s viewpoint is clear and came two days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the provision and turned it into law.
“You do not commit evil because you pray,” the Pontiff explained. “If someone commits evil against his people, he will be guilty for it, but he cannot commit evil because he prayed. And then let those who want to pray in what they consider to be their Church allow themselves to pray. Please do not allow any Christian church to be abolished directly or indirectly. Churches cannot be touched!”
