"In the name of peace." The Ukrainian and the Russian passed together by the Cross Road in the Vatican: Ambassador reaction
Ukrainian and Russian teenagers again passed near the procession - despite the fact that this initiative in 2022 was criticized. "The voices of peace during the war," the Pope chose this theme this year for prayer and sermon. "From the lands wounded by bombs, rockets, shots or killer hatred. Men and women, teenagers, young people and elderly, parents and worship were shared in various cases and in different ways with the Pope their testimony," the Vatican said in a message precedes the event.
The guy from Ukraine was forced to leave Ukraine after the occupation of Mariupol, and eventually remained in Italy, where his grandmother lived. At the border he said goodbye to his father - then he had to build life again. "I felt without everything, completely naked. I did not know the language and had no friend. Grandma tried to feel happy, but I repeated that I wanted to go home. I finally decided to return to Ukraine," - The participant of the procession in the Vatican told.
The Russian says that he is guilty of what is happening, but at the same time does not fully realize why he has such a feeling inside. He said in his speech that he had lost his father, grandfather and older brother, who were mobilized, so he asked for peace, "that everyone could be brothers and sisters. " The Ambassador of Ukraine to the Vatican about what happened, learned after the publication of materials in the media and immediately decided to respond.
"The tradition of publishing the text of the Cross Via Crucis a few days before the event was interrupted this year: from the media reports it became known that children (boys) from Ukraine and Russia will symbolize the tragedy of war.