Latin Rite Catholic bishops of Ukraine have requested Pope Francis to consecrate Ukraine and Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
In a letter to the Pope, the Ukrainian bishops said that they were writing “in these hours of immeasurable pain and terrible ordeal for our people” in response to many requests for the consecration.
“Responding to this prayer, we humbly ask Your Holiness to publicly perform the act of consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Ukraine and Russia, as requested by the Blessed Virgin in Fatima,” said the letter, published on the bishops’ website on Ash Wednesday, 2 March.
“May the Mother of God, Queen of Peace, accept our prayer: Regina pacis, ora pro nobis.”
Their request came as Russian forces moved to encircle the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, where multiple blasts were reported early Wednesday morning, and troops laid siege to Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city.
According to the Polish Border Guard agency, more than 453,000 people have fled to Poland in the past six days.
The Ukrainian bishops have also posted on their website an updated Ukrainian text of an act of consecration of Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, asking that it be recited privately and after each Mass.
Latin Rite Catholics of Ukraine is about 1 percentage of the total Ukrainian population.