• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Lutheran Bishop Kaisamari Hintikka of Espoo, Finland, presents a book to Pope Francis during a meeting with an ecumenical delegation from Finland Jan. 19, 2023, in the library of the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

Pope expresses concern over tensions on the Baltic Sea

January 19, 2023
By Justin McLellan
Catholic News Service
Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

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.”

Read More Vatican News

jubilee 2025

World will hear young people’s joy, shouting for peace on earth, pope says

RUSSIAN-ORTHODOX-meeting

Pope Leo meets with top Russian Orthodox cleric amid war, strained relations

Pope welcomes young people to Rome for jubilee, thanks media for promoting truth

Parishes need to launch ‘revolution of care’ for the elderly, pope says

Body of Blessed Frassati, relic of Blessed Acutis will be in Rome for Jubilee

Pope celebrates Apollo 11 anniversary with peek at the heavens, call to astronaut

Copyright © 2023 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

Justin McLellan

Click here to view all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Detroit archbishop fires theologians Ralph Martin, Eduardo Echeverría from seminary

  • Warsaw archbishop ‘devastated, crushed’ by priest’s arrest in brutal murder of homeless man

  • Archdiocese of Baltimore offers resources for parishes to assist migrants

  • Conference of Major Superiors of Men Men’s religious leaders confront change with fraternity and faith

  • Third annual gun buyback scheduled for Aug. 9

| Latest Local News |

Conference of Major Superiors of Men

Men’s religious leaders confront change with fraternity and faith

Sister Rose Sylvia Lindner, S.S.N.D., dies at 91

Radio Interview: The true story of ‘Xavier Rynne’

Archdiocese of Baltimore offers resources for parishes to assist migrants

Third annual gun buyback scheduled for Aug. 9

| Latest World News |

Pilgrimage of Peace

US prelates head to Japan on ‘Pilgrimage of Peace’ amid nuclear fears old and new

jubilee 2025

World will hear young people’s joy, shouting for peace on earth, pope says

Catholic leaders ICE

Report on alleged conditions at ICE’s Florida detention sites prompts Catholic leaders’ call for change

RUSSIAN-ORTHODOX-meeting

Pope Leo meets with top Russian Orthodox cleric amid war, strained relations

new york city shooting

‘Never get used to violence,’ says NY cardinal after mass shooting in building near St. Patrick’s

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Movie Review: ‘Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight’
  • New law will help families access America’s Catholic schools
  • Home viewing roundup: What’s available to stream and what’s on horizon
  • How to grow in faith for back-to-school
  • US prelates head to Japan on ‘Pilgrimage of Peace’ amid nuclear fears old and new
  • World will hear young people’s joy, shouting for peace on earth, pope says
  • Report on alleged conditions at ICE’s Florida detention sites prompts Catholic leaders’ call for change
  • Pope Leo meets with top Russian Orthodox cleric amid war, strained relations
  • ‘Never get used to violence,’ says NY cardinal after mass shooting in building near St. Patrick’s

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en