Ukraine’s ambassador to the Holy See said the onslaught of attacks on Odesa and several surrounding cities shows that Russia’s actions are no different than the actions of a terrorist organization.

In a message sent Oct. 7 by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, the pope offered prayers for the victims “of the horrific attack” that claimed the lives of 36 people, including at least 24 children, Oct. 6.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York.

Cardinal Konrad Krajewski said he "could only pray" when he visited the mass grave site found recently in Ukraine, as he saw the solemn removal of bodies by young Ukrainians.

The pope said on the plane back from Kazakhstan that it is sometimes morally licit for countries to purchase weapons for the purpose of self-defense.

Pope Francis used this year's World Day of Prayer for Creation to comment on the need for humanity to address climate change by refocusing centrality toward Christ and away from our own "consumerist excesses.”

“Capital punishment offers no justice to victims, but rather encourages revenge. And it prevents any possibility of undoing a possible miscarriage of justice,” the pope said in a video message Aug. 31.

Jesus’ call to spread the Gospel should fill all Christians, especially those within the church hierarchy, with a sense of wonder and gratitude, Pope Francis said.

The Vatican said that Pope Francis's comments on the death of Darya Dugina were meant to defend life, not affirm the Russian side of the war in Ukraine.

The pope told the patriarch that “we are not clerics of the state, we cannot use the language of politics, but of Jesus.”