2023-05-20 20:17:09
Pope Francis has tasked Cardinal Matteo Zubi, head of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, with leading a peace mission to try to stop the war in Ukraine, the Vatican said Saturday.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said Zubi had been asked “to help ease tensions in the conflict in Ukraine, in the hope that the pope can start paths of peace, something he has never given up.”
“The timing and modalities of this mission are being studied,” he added in a note.
The Vatican statement came in conjunction with the meeting of the G7 leaders in Japan with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and their renewal of their support for Ukraine, which has been under Russian attack since February 2022.
Pope Francis spoke for the first time about a possible mission upon his return from a visit to Hungary last month, telling reporters: “There is a mission that is currently being worked on, but it has not been announced yet,” without giving further details.
It is worth noting that Zubi, 67, was elected president of the Italian Episcopal Conference last year, and he belongs to the Sant’Egidio Catholic Association that specializes in diplomacy and peace efforts.
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