controversy between the Vatican y Ukraine after Pope Francis extolled the heritage of “great Russia” in a speech to young Russian Catholics.
“Son sons of great Russia, of great saints, of kings, of Peter the Great, of Catalina II, of a Russian people of great culture and great humanity”, the pope declared by videoconference to a group of young people gathered in a church in St. Petersburg.
“Never forget this great legacy. You are heirs to the great Mother Russia, keep going with it,” he added according to the video posted online.
The spokesman of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Oleg Nikolenko, He called the pope’s language “very unfortunate.”
In the wake of Ukraine’s anger, the Vatican has made it clear that Pope Francis did not encourage “imperialist” ideas during the telematic connection that he maintained with the young Catholics of the Russian Federation, last Friday, August 25.