ISTANBUL (AP) – Pope Francis and the spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians have called for peace in Ukraine and for all sides to pursue dialogue based on international law to resolve the conflict.
Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I issued a joint declaration Sunday at the end of a lengthy liturgy to mark the feast of St. Andrew, an important feast in the Orthodox Church. The celebration was the main reason for Francis’ three-day visit to Turkey.
In the statement, the two Christian leaders said they were praying for peace in Ukraine “while we call upon all parties involved to pursue the path of dialogue and of respect for international law in order to bring an end to the conflict and allow all Ukrainians to live in harmony.”