VATICAN CITY (AP) 鈥 The Holy See's No. 2 official confirmed Wednesday the existence of a Vatican peace 鈥渕ission鈥 to try to end Russia's war in Ukraine, days after Pope Francis raised eyebrows with an offhand revelation of a secret operation that was already underway.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, expressed surprise that officials in both Russia and Ukraine claimed ignorance of the Vatican initiative when they were asked about Francis' comments. Speaking on the sidelines of a book launch Wednesday, Parolin said that both capitals had been informed, Vatican News reported.
鈥淏ased on my knowledge, they know, but you know how it is, in bureaucracies it could be that communications that are supposed to arrive don鈥檛 arrive,鈥 Parolin was quoted as saying. 鈥淭hese are just my interpretations, but I know that both parties were informed.鈥
Francis revealed the existence of a Vatican 鈥渕ission鈥 on Sunday night during a news conference en route home from a weekend visit to Hungary. During his three days in Budapest, Francis held private meetings with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orb谩n, who has maintained relations with Moscow, as well as with the former foreign envoy of the Russian Orthodox Church, which has strongly supported the war.
Francis was asked during the news conference if either Orb谩n or Metropolitan Hilarion of the Russian Orthodox Church could help facilitate Vatican mediation to try to end the war.
鈥淵ou can imagine that in this meeting we didn鈥檛 only talk about Little Red Riding Hood, right?鈥 Francis replied.
He repeated his willingness to do whatever it takes to end the war. 鈥淎lso, there is a mission going on now, but it is not public yet. Let鈥檚 see how ... When it is public I will talk about it,鈥 he said.
Parolin confirmed Francis' comments, though he spoke of a 鈥渕ission鈥 in the future tense, not of one already underway.
Parolin's comments came as Francis on Wednesday greeted the current foreign envoy of the Russian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Anthony, at the end of his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square. Parolin stressed that Anthony was in the Vatican as part of regular contacts between the two churches and that his presence was unrelated to the peace mission.
The Vatican has a tradition of diplomatic neutrality and working behind the scenes to end conflicts, and Francis has tried to not antagonize Moscow in his repeated expressions of solidarity with the Ukrainian people. Last week, before Francis went to Hungary, Ukraine's prime minister called on the pontiff and asked his help in particular to help facilitate the return of Ukrainian children taken to Russia.
