The responsibility of the leaders of nations

The decision to devote the entire traditional Sunday Angelus catechesis to an appeal for peace conveys how serious Pope Francis considers the threat hanging over the world. It had happened only once before, in the first months of his pontificate, concerning the war in Syria. However, the two situations are not comparable, and today’s appears more threatening because of its possible catastrophic consequences. The Pope’s two appeals — first to the president of the Russian Federation to stop this spiral of violence and death “for the sake of his own people” and then to the president of Ukraine not to close the door to “serious proposals for peace,” — were accompanied by an equally vigorous and concerned appeal to political leaders of nations to do everything possible to stop this war that has broken out in the heart of Christian Europe and ...