VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo XIV told new ambassadors to the Holy See on Saturday that the Vatican would not be a “silent bystander” to human rights abuses around the world.
The comments are one of the clearest yet in revealing the philosophy of the US pope, who was elected head of the world’s Catholics in May following the death of Pope Francis.
“I wish to reaffirm that the Holy See will not be a silent bystander to the grave disparities, injustices and fundamental human rights violations in our global community, which is increasingly more fractured and conflict-prone,” he told the group of 13 ambassadors.
The Holy See is the governing body of the Church led by the pope, who has spiritual authority over 1.4 billion Catholics.
The diplomacy of the Holy See, the pontiff said, was “consistently directed toward serving the good of humanity, especially by appealing to consciences and by remaining attentive to the voices of those who are poor, in vulnerable situations or pushed to the margins of society.”
With his focus on inequality, Leo is building on the priorities of his predecessor Francis, who championed the rights of migrants and other vulnerable populations during his pontificate.
Leo — who spent nearly 20 years as a missionary in Peru — has spoken up against the treatment of migrants in the United States under President Donald Trump, last month calling it “extremely disrespectful.”
The new ambassadors accredited on Saturday, and welcomed with an audience within the Vatican, were from Uzbekistan, Moldova, Bahrain, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Liberia, Thailand, Lesotho, South Africa, Fiji, Micronesia, Latvia and Finland.
Pope says won't be 'bystander' to human rights abuses
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Pope says won't be 'bystander' to human rights abuses
- Pope Leo XIV told new ambassadors to the Holy See on Saturday that the Vatican would not be a "silent bystander" to human rights abuses around the world
Hundreds rally in Paris to support Ukraine after four years of war
- Demonstrators chanted: “We support Ukraine against Putin, who is killing it“
- “Frozen Russian assets must be confiscated, they belong to Ukraine“
PARIS: Around one thousand took to the streets of Paris on Saturday to show their “massive support” for Ukraine, just days before the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion.
Demonstrators marching through the French capital chanted: “We support Ukraine against Putin, who is killing it,” and “Frozen Russian assets must be confiscated, they belong to Ukraine.”
“In public opinion, there is massive support for Ukraine that has not wavered since the first day of the full-scale invasion” by the Russian army on February 24, 2022, European Parliament member Raphael Glucksmann, told AFP.
“On the other hand, in the French political class, sounds of giving up are starting to emerge. On both the far left and the far right, voices of capitulation are getting louder and louder,” he added.
In the crowd, Irina Kryvosheia, a Ukrainian who arrived in France several years ago, “thanked with all her heart the people present.”
She said they reminded “everyone that what has been happening for four years is not normal, it is not right.”
Kryvosheia said she remains in daily contact with her parents in Kyiv, who told her how they were deprived “for several days” of heating, electricity and running water following intense bombardments by the Russian army.
Francois Grunewald, head of “Comite d’Aide Medicale Ukraine,” had just returned from a one-month mission in the country, where the humanitarian organization has delivered around forty generators since the beginning of the year.
Russia’s full-scale invasion sent shockwaves around the world and triggered the bloodiest and most destructive conflict in Europe since World War II.
The war has seen tens of thousands of civilians and hundreds of thousands of military personnel killed on both sides. Millions of refugees have fled Ukraine, where vast areas have been devastated by fighting.
Russia occupies nearly 20 percent of Ukrainian territory and its heavy attacks on the country’s energy sites have sparked a major energy crisis.
