Pope Francis

Pope Francis has criticized Russia for its actions in Ukraine, saying its troops are brutal and ferocious, praising brave Ukrainians fighting for survival.

But in a text interview with Jesuit media editors last month, he said the situation was not black and white and that the war "may have been provoked in some way".

Ljubljana – Delo writes about the battle against sexual abuse by the clergy in Friday’s commentary headlined Even in Italy Things Moved. The newspaper finds “cover-up, the hiding of the perpetrators went on for so long all the wrongs can never be righted”.

By George Gilson

Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos, the top-ranking bishop of the world's 300 million Orthodox Christians, has unleashed scathing criticism of Moscow Patriarch Kirill over the latter's decision to lend the Russian Church's full support to Vladimir Putin's war against Ukraine, with countless civilian deaths and brutal murders.

A Catholic church in the Black Sea province of Samsun has an iftar event on April 22, with the priest reading the Ramadan message of Pope Francis.

"The more we, people from different religions, live together in peace, the more we will be protecting the human dignity," said Marcelo Cisneros, the priest of Mater Dolorosa Church.

On Sunday, Catholics around the world celebrate the Resurrection of Christ. Over 20,000 people in the Plovdiv region celebrate this day.

Ukrainian officials say they have found more than 1,200 bodies in the Kyiv area, where atrocities were allegedly committed during the Russian occupation last month as residents of the eastern part of the country prepare - or flee - before the expected massive offensive.

Albania remembers the Catholic nun who inspired Pope Francis with with her tale of courage - having secretly kept the faith alive under a brutal dictatorship.

However, Tížik points out it is possible to observe a linear decrease in the number of Slovaks who claim allegiance to the Roman Catholic Church, meaning he expects a further fall over the coming decade.

Rome – President Borut Pahor held talks with his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella on Monday evening. EU issues topped the agenda, the president’s office said.

The presidents focused on peace and stability in the EU’s eastern neighbourhood, the need to coordinate post-pandemic economic recovery policies, and the need for debates on the common European future to be more ambitious.

Vatican City – President Borut Pahor will pay an official visit to the Vatican on Monday at the invitation of Pope Francis to mark the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Slovenia and the Holy See.