The mayor of kyiv invites Pope Francis to visit the city or send a message

The mayor of kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, sent a letter to Pope Francis inviting him to visit the city at this time of war after the invasion of Russia or, if this is not possible, participate in a videoconference to send a message to the population.

“We believe that the presence of the world’s religious leaders in person at Kyiv it is key to saving lives and paving the way to peace in our city, in our country, and in all places”, writes the mayor in the letter that has been confirmed by the nuncio (Vatican ambassador), Visvaldas Kulbokas.

Klitschko affirms that they would help the pontiff in everything he needed if he made this trip, but that, in the event that it is not possible, “he could participate in a joint videoconference to record it or broadcast it live and efforts will be made to include the president Zelensky in this call”.

“We appeal to you, as a spiritual leader, to show your compassion, to join the Ukrainian people and jointly spread the call for peace,” adds the mayor of the besieged Ukrainian capital for days in this letter.

Holy See spokesman Matteo Bruni confirmed that the pope received the letter from the mayor of kyiv, although he did not specify whether he would accept the invitation.

“The Holy Father has received the letter from the mayor of the Ukrainian capital and is close to the sufferings of the city, its people, those who had to flee and those who are called to administer it. He prays to the Lord that they be protected from violence,” read a statement from Bruni.

Pope Francis has made several calls for it to stop since the war began.

In the last one, last Sunday, after the Angelus prayer, he demanded that “the massacre” perpetrated in Ukraine after the invasion of Russia be stopped and considered it “an unacceptable armed aggression.”

“Brothers and sisters, we have just prayed to the Virgin Mary. This week the city that bears her name, Mariupol, has become a martyr city of a harsh war that devastates Ukraine”, the pontiff told the faithful from the window of the apostolic palace.

“Faced with the barbarism of the murder of children, innocents and defenseless civilians, there are no valid strategic reasons. Unacceptable armed aggression must only cease before it reduces cities into graveyards,” he urged.