Before traveling to Hungary, Pope Francis once again asked “let us not forget the afflicted Ukrainians”

2023-04-23 15:00:18

“Let’s not forget our Ukrainian brothers and sisters still afflicted by the war,” said the Pope Francisco in front of a crowd of faithful gathered in the Plaza San Pedro. In addition, he anticipated that his trip to Hungary “It will be an opportunity to once again embrace a very dear Church and people”.

As every Sunday, hundreds of faithful Catholics came to the main square of Vatican to listen attentively to the Sunday mass of the Supreme Pontiff. “I ask everyone to accompany me with prayers on this journey” towards the “centre of Europe, on which icy winds of war continue to blowwhile the displacement of so many people put urgent humanitarian issues on the agenda,” Pope Francis stressed in his speech.

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Then he thanked the preparations that are being made in Budapest: “I know that you are preparing my visit with a lot of effort: I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

The Argentine Pope will visit next Friday the current country governed by the nationalist and Russophile Prime Minister Viktor Orban where he will stay for three days to complete the tour that began in 2021 within the framework of the International Eucharistic Congress.

The Supreme Pontiff added: “I wish to address you, Hungarian brothers and sisters, with affection, waiting to visit you as a pilgrim, friend and brother of all, and to greet, among others, your authorities, bishops, priests, the consecrated, the young, the university students and the poor”.

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Currently Hungary has 10 million inhabitants of which 39% of them are Catholics. His visit will have among the main topics the war in neighboring Ukraine, will address the problems of migration and humanitarian aid.

In September 2021, the Pope made a seven-hour stopover in Budapest. On that occasion he called on Hungarians to be “open” to everyone, countering Prime Minister Orban’s position that he pursues a policy against immigrants.

Just one month after his hospitalization for bronchitis, the health of the 86-year-old Argentine pope will be closely watched during this visit. His tour will be limited only to Budapest to adapt to the physical conditions of Francisco, who uses a wheelchair.

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