Conference of Catholic Bishops in Belarus urges believers to pray that the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine “does not escalate into another world war”

February 24, BPN. The Conference of Catholic Bishops in Belarus (CCBB) urged believers to pray that the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine “does not escalate into another world war.” This was stated in the appeal of Aleh Butkievič, Bishop of Viciebsk and CCBB chair, on the website of the Roman Catholic Church in Belarus.

“Common sense and so much living memory of the consequences of such actions in history have not been an effective deterrent,” the Catholic bishop stated. “Brother raised his hand against brother. We are witnessing the worst-case scenario of unleashing the tensions that had long existed between the brotherly peoples. The war broke out next to us, between Russia and Ukraine, a war among people close to us. This situation cannot but cause pain in our hearts as well. If a call to stop the recklessness that has already started probably would no longer have any effect, only prayer remains.”

Bishop Butkievič called for a prayer “to stop the fratricidal conflict that in the current international situation could develop into a global catastrophe,” and to end the war as soon as possible, to prevent it from turning into “another world war, that could end in a global apocalypse.”