With a remark about two tsars, Pope Francis wanted to encourage young Russians last week to keep Russia in good stead. This remark has received a bad echo in Ukraine. The church leader addressed the youth in St. Petersburg via videoconference. He called on them not to forget that they are the “heirs” of previous Caesars such as Peter the Great and Catherine the Great.
In Ukraine, this appeal – according to the spontaneity of the Vatican – went badly. Because in the 17th and 18th centuries, these two monarchs were responsible for the expansion of the Russian Empire, including parts of Ukraine. It is said that the Pope with these historic sermons glorified the current Russian thirst for conquest. Thus agreeing to Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its invasion in 2022.
On Tuesday, the Vatican was forced to issue a statement to quash the accusation. “The Pope intends to encourage young people to embrace the goodness of the great Russian cultural and spiritual heritage, and certainly not to emulate the imperial logic and rulers of the mentioned historical periods. Their glorification,” the statement read.
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