Kyiv, Ukraine, Mar 10, 2022 / 06:30 am
A Ukrainian Catholic leader said on Thursday that the besieged city of Mariupol — the “City of Mary” — has been transformed into a cemetery by Russian bombardment.
In a
video message issued on March 10, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk lamented what he described as the “mass murder” of Ukrainians following Russia’s full-scale invasion.
“Today my conscience and the conscience of every Christian demands that we raise our voices throughout the world and loudly say the word ‘No,’ to declare strong opposition to the mass murder of people in Ukraine,” he said.
“Especially in these last moments, we see mass murder in the besieged city of Mariupol. This city, which was founded by the Greek community as the ‘City of Mary,’ has been transformed into a cemetery for tens of thousands of people.”
Shevchuk said that Mariupol has a population of almost 400,000 people.
“For almost two weeks the city is under complete siege. People are dying from hunger. People are dying from the cold. On their heads there are falling on rockets, shells, bombs,” the 51-year-old major archbishop commented.
“Today we must remember them and, in their name, speak to the conscience of the whole world. We beseech you: Open humanitarian corridors! Give women, children, and the elderly an opportunity to leave this cold, besieged city. Give us the opportunity to send food and medicine there. Give us an opportunity to rescue people.”
“In the name of the city of Mariupol, let us appeal to the whole world: Save the skies over Ukraine! Do everything possible to close the Ukrainian skies to Russian weapons and Russian aviation dropping bombs on peaceful inhabitants.”
Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin
expressed dismay on Wednesday at the bombing of hospital facilities in Mariupol.
He told a reporter at an event in Rome on March 9 that “it is unacceptable to bomb a hospital.”
“There are no reasons or motivations for doing so,” the Vatican’s top diplomat said.
