杏MAP导航 laments Bucha massacre, calls for end to war in Ukraine
By Devin Watkins
As the extent of the massacre of civilians in the Ukrainian town of Bucha continues to become clear, 杏MAP导航 Francis has lifted his voice to lament the human tragedy that occurred while Russian troops held the area.
Speaking at the Wednesday General Audience, the 杏MAP导航 said the killing of innocent civilians must cease.
Sowing death and destruction
杏MAP导航 Francis then renewed his appeal for an end to Russia鈥檚 war in Ukraine.
He also invited everyone to pray in silence for a moment to ask God for this intention.
The 杏MAP导航 said that on Tuesday he had received a Ukrainian flag from the town of Bucha.
He then unfurled the faded and war-stained flag and held it up for all to see, saying the flag 鈥渃ame from war, from that martyred city of Bucha.鈥�
Child refugees: a 鈥榝ruit of war鈥�
杏MAP导航 Francis added that several Ukrainian children鈥攏ow refugees in Italy鈥攚ere present at the General Audience, and he invited them to come up on the stage with him.
As he let the children return to their seats, 杏MAP导航 Francis noted that it is 鈥渄ifficult to be uprooted from one鈥檚 homeland.鈥�
Bucha massacre
Bucha, a suburban town which lies to the northwest of Kyiv, was held by Russian forces from 27 February until 31 March when troops withdrew from the area.
As Ukrainian troops entered the town鈥攁ccompanied by members of the international press鈥攁pocalyptic-like scenes began to emerge of bodies piled together and burned, along with evidence of execution-style killings of unarmed civilians.
What was once a middle-class suburb has now become a grisly scene of torture and summary killings, with the town鈥檚 mayor saying over 320 civilians have been murdered there.
A mass grave has also been found, which could contain over 150 bodies. Satellite images show that many other corpses have lain out on the streets for weeks.
In response to the Bucha massacre, Western governments have ratcheted up sanctions on Russia, which claims the massacre is a hoax.
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