Pope Francis came under heavy criticism after he encouraged young Russians not to give up their “legacy” as heirs to the “great, enlightened Russian Empire”.
“Never give up on this legacy,” Pope Francis told young Russians gathered for the All-Russian Gathering of Catholic Youth in St Petersburg on Friday.
During the speech, a clip of it was shown to publish On the Internet, the pope also cited former Russian emperors Peter I And Catherine IIBoth rulers played key roles in expanding Russian conquests in Europe, and are known as symbols of Russian imperialism.
He said: “You are the heirs of the great Russia: the great Russia of saints and kings, the great Russia of Peter the Great, the great Russia of Catherine II, of that great, enlightened Russian empire, of great culture and great humanity.”
The comments sparked outrage Connectedwith a lot criticism The pope’s decision to praise Russia’s imperial past, especially given the Kremlin’s ongoing war in Ukraine.
However, in rest of his words Posted online by the Vatican, the pope called on young Russians to be “peacemakers” and to “sow the seeds of reconciliation”.
Pope Francis has repeatedly criticized Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, calling for an end to the conflict. But he has also made some controversial statements, apparently blaming NATO for the conflict and refusing to condemn Putin by name.
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