Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi, President of the Italian Bishops' Conference and Archbishop of Bologna, presided over a Mass at the Upper Basilica of Saint Francis in Assisi as part of a day of prayer for peace in Ukraine and worldwide.

The Ukrainian embassy to the Holy See and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM) organized the Mass, which coincided with the exhibition of the relics of Saint Francis, marking the eighth centenary of his death.

Speaking to about a hundred representatives of the Ukrainian community, along with many pilgrims from around the world, Cardinal Zuppi recalled the legacy of the saint of Assisi, who even today remains “a brother meeting other brothers everywhere.”

With this “universal heart,” the Cardinal implored “the end of war.” He stressed that “we need ‘a lot of light and hope in such a difficult time for the world.’”

True peace can only be found together

2026 marks the fourth year of the conflict in Ukraine. Together with representatives from all nations—“the ambassadors present here, but also the many pilgrims (10,500 daily, doubling on weekends)”—the Cardinal emphasized that what is being asked today is “the peace of all,” because “only together can we find it and defend it.”

Saint Francis continues to speak in our time

Focusing on the figure of Saint Francis, Cardinal Zuppi reminded everyone present how the saintly friar “helps us understand what really matters in life: the freedom to love, without possessing, and the bond of love.”

With him, “we have no fear of being all brothers and sisters, and we are disturbed by distances and horrified by the one who raises his hands against his brother or sister” because “every war is fratricidal.”

The CEI President highlighted how Pope Leo XIV wrote that “in this era marked by many seemingly endless wars, by internal and social divisions that create fear, Saint Francis continues to speak. His life points to the authentic source of peace.” But the urgent question remains: “How can we accept the logic of war?”

Let the bombs cease and the weapons fall silent

Quoting Saint Paul VI, the Cardinal invited everyone to become peacebuilders, because “a peace imposed by the mere superiority of power and force is false. If you want peace, work for justice.”

“Every act of war that aims indiscriminately at destroying entire cities is a crime against God and humanity and must be condemned,” Cardinal Zuppi continued, referencing Gaudium et Spes.

Addressing the situation in Ukraine, he raised his plea to heaven, asking that “the sound of bombs cease everywhere, that weapons fall silent, and that spaces for dialogue open where the voice of the people can be heard.” He urged the faithful to ask for the courage for a just and lasting peace and that we strive to dialogue in a way that ensures a just peace for all.

Ukrainian ambassador: A just peace means justice

Ukrainian Ambassador to the Holy See  Andrii Yurash recalled that the day’s event marks the third prayer for peace in Ukraine on the fourth anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion.

He stressed that “a spiritual moment that inspires and strengthens trust in the belief that the idea of peace—a just and authentic peace—is not unrealistic.” Moreover, he stated that “a just peace means justice, and justice means the will of God, for God always represents the greatest justice.”

The Ambassador concluded by extending the desire for peace to the entire world, emphasizing that “in a time when we witness many wars and clear violations of international law, the idea of peace becomes a universal concept, of fundamental importance for all humanity.”

He ended by presenting Cardinal Zuppi with two paintings by Ukrainian artist Svitlana Dudenko, titled Pilgrims of Hope, depicting Pope Francis opening the Holy Door for the Jubilee, and Prayer for the World.

Immediately following the Mass, a procession moved from the Upper Church to the Lower Church for a moment of prayer before the relics of Saint Francis. A long and silent line of people, both lay and religious, with representatives of the Ukrainian community mingled among the many pilgrims.

All gathered in front of the cross of Christ towering above the altar and the bones of the saint of Assisi, asking for peace in a world today more than ever scarred by war and suffering.

On the walls, to one side, frescoes depicting the life of Saint Francis, and symbolically across from them, scenes of the Passion of Christ, serve as a reminder to all that it is not weapons and violence that change history and the heart of man, but faith and charity. The next spiritual gathering dedicated to the fourth anniversary of the start of the war will be the Via Crucis on Sunday, March 15, at the Basilica of Santa Sofia in Rome, at 3:00pm local time.