|
News Items:
|
|
Headlines
|
|
News Briefs
|
|
Stories
|
|
Movies
|
|
Word To Life
|
|
Special Items:
|
|
Vatican
|
|
Election 2004
|
|
Africa
|
|
Charter update
|
|
John Jay study
|
|
Other Items:
|
|
Client Area
|
|
Links
|
|
Archives:
|
|
Origins
|
|
.
|
|
Did You Know...
|
The whole CNS
public Web site
headlines, briefs
stories, etc,
represents less
than one percent
of the daily news
report.
Get all the news!
If you would like
more information
about the
Catholic News
Service daily
news report,
please contact
CNS at one of
the following:
cns@
catholicnews.com
or
(202) 541-3250
|
|
.
|
|
Copyright:
|
This material
may not
be published,
broadcast,
rewritten or
otherwise
distributed.
Copyright
(c) 2004
Catholic News
Service/U.S.
Conference of
Catholic Bishops.
|
|
 |
|
CNS Story:
|
POPE-AUDIENCE Nov-24-2004 (320 words) With photo. xxxi
At audience, pope says he prays for Ukrainians facing uncertainty
By Sarah Delaney
Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope John Paul II said he was praying for Ukrainians facing turbulence and uncertainty following hotly contested presidential elections.
At his weekly general audience at the Vatican Nov. 24, the pope assured a group of Ukrainians present "and all the Ukrainian people that in these days I pray particularly for your beloved country."
The pope was referring to the turmoil in Ukraine after nearly complete election results gave victory to the Russian-backed candidate for president. Western observers said the elections were tainted by massive voting fraud.
A few dozen Ukrainians waving blue and yellow flags cheered enthusiastically at the pope's comments. On some of the flags hung a strip of orange cloth. Orange is the color associated with supporters of Viktor Yushchenko, the pro-Western candidate who disputes the unofficial results that assign victory to Viktor A. Yanukovych in the Nov. 21 election.
Some Ukrainians held a banner reading, "Yes, Yushchenko."
Russian President Vladimir Putin immediately declared Yanukovych, the candidate he openly supported, the winner of the balloting. But an estimated 200,000 angry supporters of Yushchenko protested Nov. 23 in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev, claiming that widespread fraud and intimidation rendered the election invalid.
Western governments, including the United States, have refused to acknowledge Yanukovych's victory and called for an investigation.
In his talk during the audience, the pope referred to the Letter to the Colossians.
"With his divine fullness, but also through shedding his blood on the cross, Christ reconciles and restores all things in heaven and earth," the pope said. "He thereby brings them back to their original condition, willed by God in accordance with his loving plan of life."
The pope said that in the letter's canticle, "we recognize the living faith and prayer of the ancient Christian community regarding the Lord Jesus."
END
Copyright (c) 2004 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed.
CNS · 3211 Fourth St NE · Washington DC 20017 · 202.541.3250
|
|
|
|
