Conflict in Ukraine

Feb. 24 marks a sombre anniversary for Ukrainians, in the home country and in Ukrainian communities throughout the worldwide diasporas.

As the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine approached, a sense of urgency to end the Russia-Ukraine war emanating from the United States created a flurry of traffic on social media and in news outlets.

During a Dec. 20 Russian missile strike on Kyiv, Catholic St. Nicholas church, a significant architectural monument of the Ukrainian capital, suffered damage.

For Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, the papal almoner, driving home for Christmas means taking a different route each year. In 2024, he marks his second Christmas in war-torn Ukraine.

Clergy in Belarus are deleting their social media profiles to avoid arrest, according to Church sources, as local parishes face pressure under a new religious law.

The "arrogance" of the invaders attacking Ukraine and Palestine blocks the dialogue necessary to build peace in those countries, Pope Francis said.

The situation in Ukraine is very "worrisome" and could spiral out of control, said Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state.

With Ukraine's first lady seated in the front row, Pope Francis told people at his general audience that it is "a shameful tragedy for all humanity" that Russia's war on Ukraine has lasted more than 1,000 days.

Pope Francis and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met for the third time since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, focusing their discussion on the repatriation of Ukrainian nationals held in Russian captivity.

Lviv mourned the victims of the Sept. 4 Russian strike on the residential buildings as thousands gathered Sept. 6 for funeral services of a mother and her three daughters.