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Pope Francis unable to change Putin’s “diabolical nature”, says Bishop of the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine

11 June 2015
risu.org.ua/en/index/all_news/ukraine_and_world/international_relations/60239/

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Bishop Stanislav Shyrokoradiuk of Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhya of the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine believes that Pope Francis is incapable of changing the “diabolical nature” of Putin. He said it in a comment to Obozrevatel.

“I do not share the optimistic point of view, because Putin is Putin. Such people never change,” the bishop said.

According to him, “this is the devilish stubborn nature –and he will always remain the same to the end.” In this context, the bishop added: “The devil’s problems is that he cannot repent” because “it’s hard obtain the grace of conversion through the prayers of people who shed a lot of blood.”

“The Pope is praying for him, the Pope says him what he can say. Will he take notice of that? I doubt it. He can turn everything upside down.

He can say, “The Pope understands me, the Pope supports me.” Even more, he may ask for the Pope’s blessing of his cause. Surely he can do that.”

The Roman Catholic bishop notes that the Pope constantly prays for Ukraine and shares all our anxieties and pain.

“He does all he can. He is not a goldfish or God. He is the Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth, St Peter’s successor. He entreats, he appeals, he urges, he always speaks out, he prays. The Pope has already called on different countries, on clergymen to provide aid for Ukraine–the material and spiritual aid. It is worth much if the pope is asking to help Ukraine,” said Bishop Stanislaw Shyrokoradiuk.

Personally, I find the use of the word 'diabolical' inappropriate, provocative and passionate.

This Archbishop has, in fact, written a stern letter to the president of Ukraine in which he criticizes him harshly for not moving on his earlier promise to try to end corruption and the like.

As for his other statements, he is only echoing what many in Eastern Europe, who feel directly threatened by Russia, are already saying and feeling - nothing new.

May God bless and protect this courageous Roman Catholic prelate.

He is truly passionate and provocative. As for anything that he said that is inappropriate - history will reveal all eventually.

Alex

Sorry Alex, but even in the midst of my own ethnic related region's issues, I have never heard a Greek prelate use the word 'diabolical' for the leaders of a certain country who would wish to oppress Greece and who still taunt her militarily and religiously - and trust me, those Greek prelates can be a mighty opinionated and outspoken bunch!

Infact, recently there was a celebration in Istanbul at the Haghia Sophia for the anniversary of the barbaric conquest of Constantinople and the Haghia Sophia by my Turkish friends, and I still didn't hear the word 'diabolical'. History is, understandably, seen and deemed differently by different sides who have lived it.

There are missing persons in Cyprus until this day, and persons who were killed and lost their properties to a military takeover of their part of a country (Northern Cyprus), and while I have clearly felt their hatred for the country that occupied their part of the island nation when I meet them and hear their stories, (losing your family land and house is not an easy thing) I have still never heard the word 'diabolical' used.

I just find the word a bit extreme, but maybe that is just me...or maybe something is lost and/or exagerrated in the translation. That often happens with languages.

BTW, I knew I would hear from you on this thread!

I pray that there will be peace on our earth for all people.

I do hope you are feeling better.

All the best to you,
Alice

Thank you Alice, I'm recovering slowly!

The term "diabolical" has been used by the Greeks to describe the Ottoman Turks in their oppression and martyric torture of Christians. I've come across it in some lives of the New Martyrs of the Turkish Yoke.

I remember especially seeing it in one account of the martyrdom of St John of Suceava whose feet were beaten with sticks, the "phalanga" torture which is still employed in Turkey (I had an uncle on my mother's side who had the misfortune of falling into their hands and who suffered this torture which left him unable to walk for the rest of his life afterwards.). When I read the term "diabolical" to describe the people who did this, I didn't think it was too inappropriate at all.

And in the lives of the New Martyrs of the Soviet Yoke (Communist Yoke or other term), not only is this term widespread to describe the communists in their truly diabolical zeal against Christians - but even the Orthodox icons of the New Martyrs clearly state "the servants of Satan" to describe the communists.

As we know, the Soviets loved to torture their religious victims for a long period of time before doing them in, including starving them to death by preventing food from being delivered to them (St Agafia of Belarus), nailing priests by their hands and feet to the Royal Doors of iconostases (St Joachim of Kherson and also Ukrainian Catholic New Martyrs), and then their "crowning achievement" leaving Christians naked on frozen rivers and lakes to freeze to death, like the 40 Martyrs of Sebastea (except that the Soviets did not give their victims the option of apostasy in order to save their lives).

The Orthodox Church is more than correct in referring to the perpetrators of such torture and death as "servants of Satan."

I know that there are well-meaning Christian conservatives here and elsewhere who see in Putin a hero rather than something diabolical. If he is who so many in Eastern Europe and around the world believe him to be, then "diabolical" he certainly is

I respect those Christians who, for reasons that I understand, see him as something other than that.

History, as I said, will reveal all in the end.

We know from the Scriptures that an Anti-Christ has the capacity to appear as an angel of light and to convince even sincere believers that he is religious and on the side of right etc.

God has the final say in all of this and we shall await to see what His judgement will be of Putin, the West and all of us.

And none of us can escape His righteous judgement. Perhaps we are living in the End Times. In that case, we are to guard ourselves and pray so that we may stand before the Son of God when He comes in His glory with His angels.

We know He IS coming. May He come quickly to this beleaguered world.

God bless you,

Alex

Dear Alex,

I understand your righteous indignation, but life is too short and as we get older, our health is too fragile to get worked up too much over anything.

There are many political and historical actions, entities, and individuals in the world, (Monsanto's influence and buying of American politicians for instance) that have me quite unhappy too, but I try to stop short of feeling too angry.

Have a peaceful day and be well,
Alice

I will try, Mother Alice!

Alex