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By Vatican News
Following the Angelus prayer, Pope Francis expressed his fear regarding religious freedom in Ukraine with reference to the parliament’s recent decision to ban the Orthodox Church linked to the Moscow Patriarchate.
Kyiv’s decision
The bill voted on 20 August in Kyiv by an overwhelming majority gives the parishes concerned nine months to sever ties with the Russian Orthodox Church, an action that drew an immediate reaction from the Moscow Patriarchate, which commented that it was a “clear violation of internationally recognised human rights in the field of religious freedom.”
Prayers for peace
Pope Francis again called on everyone to pray for an end to wars, mentioning Palestine, Israel, Myanmar, and every part of the world suffering from them. He emphasized, “the people are asking for peace! Let us pray that the Lord will give us all peace.”