Pope expresses concern over tensions on the Baltic Sea

By Justin McLellan, Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Baltic Sea, shared by Russia and northern European countries, is a "source of life threatened by human action," Pope Francis said.

Speaking to an ecumenical delegation from Finland Jan. 19, the pope said the body of water that separates Russia and Finland and connects Russian trade routes to the European continent was "painfully affected by the climate of conflict caused by the fierce senselessness of war."

Lutheran Bishop Kaisamari Hintikka of Espoo, Finland, greeted the pope to begin their meeting and referred to the image of the Baltic Sea, prompting the pope's remarks.

"War is always a defeat," said the pope. "Always."

Finland and Sweden both applied to join NATO after Russia's invasion of Ukraine and have participated in military exercises with NATO countries on the Baltic Sea, raising tensions with Russia.

The Finnish delegation, composed of Lutheran, Orthodox, Catholic and Methodist representatives, traveled to Rome as part of an ecumenical pilgrimage in honor of St. Henrik, an English-born bishop who was martyred in Finland in the 12th century.

Pope Francis told them that Christians must develop "an ardent zeal for evangelization" in order to overcome the historical wounds that have divided Christian churches.

"By proclaiming (the Gospel) together we rediscover ourselves as brothers and sisters" and bear witness to "the beauty of unity," the pope told the delegation.

The sacrament of baptism, shared by Christians, reconciles an individual with God, he said, and in the same way, "we are called to be more and more reconciled with one another and to be agents of reconciliation in the world."

Pope Francis encouraged the representatives to "nurture a true passion" for overcoming their divisions and said that merely knowing the value of Christian unity "is not enough."

The delegation traveled to the Vatican during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which is celebrated annually Jan. 18-25. This year's theme comes from the Book of Isaiah: "Do good; seek justice."

Those words, the pope explained, call on Christians "to practice concrete acts of solidarity to those who are victims of injustice, rejection, various forms of oppression and, above all, war."