Over 1000 leaders of different faith traditions in the United States have signed a petition urging a Christmas ceasefire in Ukraine, Vatican News reported Thursday.
The petitioners, “representing a massive number of believers from every major tradition,” say they were inspired by a similar appeal made by Pope Benedict XV during the First World War, which brought about a temporary truce in the conflict.
“As people of faith and conscience, believing in the sanctity of all life on this planet, we call for a Christmas truce in Ukraine,” the appeal states.
“In the spirit of the truce that occurred in 1914 during the First World War,” it reads, “we urge our government to take a leadership role in bringing the war in Ukraine to an end.”
British and German soldiers meeting in No Man’s Land during unofficial truce, Christmas, 1914. Northumberland Hussars, 7th Division, Bridoux-Banks Sector. (Robert Hunt/Windmill Books/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
The initiative, which was sponsored by Fellowship of Reconciliation-USA, CODEPINK, and the National Council of Elders, has brought together representatives of Jewish, Protestant, Catholic, Evangelical, Mennonite, Sikh, Buddhist, and Muslim traditions in a common call for a temporary cease-fire that could lead to “a negotiated settlement” and eventually a permanent end to the war.
“As the war in Ukraine rages on, the toll of death and destruction continues to mount and the potential for escalation and the use of nuclear weapons grows,” notes a background text accompanying the petition. “The direct catastrophic impact the war has already had on the people of Ukraine is still unknown but countless thousands of civilians have already died and 14 million have been displaced.”
“The war’s impact is multiplied outside of Ukraine’s borders as rising prices for wheat, fertilizer and fuel are creating growing crises in global hunger and poverty,” it adds.
“Negotiation is not a euphemism for capitulation, nor is it a rationalization of Putin’s aggression,” said Medea Benjamin, cofounder of the peace group CODEPINK. “It is simply a recognition that the end of this war cannot be achieved by more war. Any prospect for a pause in hostilities should be acted on.”
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