Foreign ambassadors are usually summoned by the Secretary of State of the Vatican or they meet with the Pope at the Apostolic Palace.

The Pope himself went to the Russian ambassador because of the war in Ukraine / photo REUTERS

Pope Francis visited the Russian embassy to the Holy See on Friday to convey to the Moscow ambassador his concerns about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

According to Reuters, this was an unprecedented deviation from diplomatic protocol.

According to Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni, Pope Francis spent about 30 minutes at the embassy, ​​which is located near the Vatican.

“He came to express his concern about the war,” Bruni said, but did not comment on reports that the 85-year-old Pope had offered Vatican mediation.

It is believed that the Pope went to the embassy for the first time to speak with the ambassador. Foreign ambassadors are usually summoned by the Secretary of State of the Vatican or they meet with the Pope at the Apostolic Palace.

In a statement Thursday, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said the Holy See hoped there would be “a glimmer of conscience” for those who hold the fate of the world in their hands.

(C)UNIAN 2022