ROME. Pope Francis led a poignant moment of reflection on Wednesday, gathering thousands to pray for the aid workers tragically killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza, as well as for a young Ukrainian soldier named Oleksandre, who fell victim to what the Pontiff described as the “madness of war.”
During his address, Francis reiterated his plea for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and urged for the release of hostages held by Hamas since October 7th. With heartfelt prayers for the families of the seven World Central Kitchen workers slain, he emphasized the urgent need for humanitarian aid to reach the suffering people of Gaza and for concerted efforts to prevent the conflict from escalating further.
In a deeply moving gesture at the conclusion of his general audience, Pope Francis shared with tourists and pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square the rosary and camouflaged New Testament belonging to 23-year-old Ukrainian soldier, Oleksandre, who lost his life in the eastern city of Avdijevka.
These cherished mementos were presented to Francis two weeks prior by Sr. Lucia Caram, an Argentine-born nun residing in Spain, renowned for her tireless humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. Recalling a private audience with the Pontiff on March 13th, Caram recounted Francis’ emotional reaction as she presented him with Oleksandre’s rosary and New Testament, both of which he kissed, having blessed the rosary previously for distribution in Ukraine.
As Pope Francis displayed the items, he tenderly flipped through the pages of Oleksandre’s well-worn New Testament, underscoring the tragic loss of a young life full of promise. Calling for a moment of silent prayer, the Pontiff implored attendees to remember “this kid and so many like him, killed in this madness of war.”
This poignant tribute follows previous instances where Pope Francis highlighted relics from the conflict in Ukraine, including a battered Ukrainian flag recovered from Bucha, the site of early Russian atrocities.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
