Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi, President of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, presided over a Mass at the Upper Basilica of Saint Francis in Assisi, calling for peace in Ukraine and worldwide. The event, organized by the Ukrainian Embassy to the Holy See, marked the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Zuppi emphasized that true peace can only be achieved together, stressing that “a peace imposed only by weapons is false.”
The Cardinal reminded attendees that Saint Francis’ legacy teaches us to love without possessing and cherish bonds of love. He urged everyone to become peacebuilders, quoting Saint Paul VI, and asked that “the sound of bombs cease everywhere, and weapons fall silent.” Ukrainian Ambassador Andrii Yurash emphasized that “a just peace means justice, and justice means the will of God.”
The event included a procession and prayer before Saint Francis’ relics, with attendees asking for peace in a world scarred by war and suffering. A Via Crucis is scheduled for March 15th at the Basilica of Santa Sofia in Rome, continuing the spiritual gathering for peace.