European church leaders appealed last week to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to observe a ceasefire in honor of the Easter holiday.
“In our capacities as, respectively, President of the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Union and President of the Conference of European Churches, we respectfully request you to declare a ceasefire in Ukraine from midnight on 17 April (00.00 hours) until midnight on 24 April (24.00 hours),” the letter signed by Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, S.J., president of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), and the Rev. Christian Krieger, president of the Conference of European Churches (CEC), stated.
Easter takes place this year on April 17 in Western Europe according to the Gregorian calendar and on April 24 in Eastern Europe according to the Julian calendar.
“This call echoes that of Pope Francis on 10 April,” the letter continued. “Put the weapons down! Let an Easter truce start. But not to rearm and resume combat but a truce to reach peace through real negotiations open to some sacrifices for the good of the people.
“We would ask for a general ceasefire in the conflict between your two countries so as to give Christians in Russia and Ukraine, sisters and brothers in Christ, the opportunity to celebrate Easter in peace and dignity. Such a truce would also be of benefit to all the citizens of both your countries, giving them a respite from the worrying uncertainty about the lives of their loved ones who are either fighting in the conflicts or affected by them,” they said.
The letter was dated April 11. A second letter was sent to Patriarch Kirill of Moscow.
“You could demonstrate how much importance you attach to giving Christians in Russia and in Ukraine, sisters and brothers in Christ, the necessary respite to enable them to celebrate Easter in peace and dignity,” they wrote in that appeal.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. Last week, Putin said that peace talked were at a “dead end.”