Dear sisters, dear brothers,

It has been 200 days since the beginning of the war. Although the Ukrainian army’s most recent military achievements and the lifting of Russian occupation in the territories of the Kharkiv Oblast and the south of the country brought us joy, hope, and expectation, we are all aware that the road to full victory remains long. Today, on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, by the initiative of the Council of the European Episcopal Conferences, we are celebrating in Ukraine the Day of Prayer for Peace. It is celebrated under the motto: “Kneeling before the Eucharist crying for peace.” I’m very grateful to Archbishop Gintarasa for this idea. He visited Ukraine in July, and since he is Lithuanian, I’m sure he understands perfectly well how godless and terrible the ideology of “Russian peace” could be.

Sixty years ago, the first night of the Second Vatican Council, Pope John XXIII came out on a balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square and gave his impromptu remarks now called “the moonlight speech.” I remember it well, making its way into the world via the news media.

Looking out over the crowd and smiling the Pope said,

“Here all the world is represented. One might even say that the moon rushed here this evening – Look at her high up there – to behold this spectacle.”

It was in December of 1999, a day at The Parliament of the World’s Religions assembled in Cape Town, South Africa. I had chosen to wear my Dominican habit by way of giving witness to my religious order’s public declaration of its interfaith mission of dialogue and respect for all faith traditions and spiritual paths. I chose to wear my religious habit, one worn by many illustrious women and men for nearly eight centuries as members of the Order of Preachers. There were of course many others in national and religious garb making this gathering of some 7000 participants from 80 countries a colorful display of our diversity.