BUDAPEST: Pope Francis warned on Saturday against indifference while thanking Hungary for taking in Ukrainians despite the anti-refugee policies of nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
On his arrival of the three-day visit Friday, the 86-year-old Argentine in his first speech to Orban and other government officials stressed “the need for openness towards others”, warning against “withdrawing into oneself”.
Hungary’s government — in a departure from its usual anti-refugee stand — has welcomed those fleeing the war in neighbouring Ukraine.
But activists say there is barely a support system in place, while Orban’s insistence on maintaining ties with Moscow puts off Ukrainians.
Some 600 refugees — mostly from Ukraine — and poor people listened to the pope at St Elizabeth’s Church in Budapest on Saturday, while about a thousand more gathered outside.
After listening to some of their stories, including that of Oleg Yakovlev, a father-of-five who fled Ukraine, the pope thanked Hungary “for having welcomed — not only with generosity but also with enthusiasm — so many refugees from Ukraine”.
He further urged the need of “showing compassion toward all”.
‘Advocate of peace’
Olesia Misiats, a mother-of-three from Kiev who fled to Hungary a year ago, said she felt “very happy” to see the pope.
“We feel safe, and many people help us,” the 33-year-old said.
“I respect the pope very much because he prays for Ukraine. He wants this war to finish, and my heart is full with thanks for him,” she added.
A Ukrainian woman outside the cordoned-off church grounds, who only gave her name as Elena, told AFP that she also hoped to see the pope “who is a strong advocate of peace”.
“We have no problems here, but obviously when you are waiting to go back, you don’t immerse yourself too deep,” the 43-year-old dancer from north of Kyiv said.
During an audience last year at the Vatican, Francis equally thanked Orban for welcoming Ukrainian refugees.
Since Russia invaded its neighbour more than a year ago, more than two million Ukrainians have crossed into Hungary, but just 35,000 have applied for the EU’s temporary protection status in the country.
That’s far fewer than in other countries just west of Ukraine.
Within the EU, Hungary’s prime minister is an exception in refusing to condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin by name after Moscow invaded.
He is also refusing to send military aid to Ukraine and has blasted EU sanctions against Russia — making many Ukrainian refugees feel uncomfortable.
They also face a “demolished” refugee support system, according to the Hungarian Helsinki Committee (HHC) rights group.
Since 2020, after the EU forced Budapest to close controversial so-called border transit zones that Brussels called “detention camps”, Budapest only accepts asylum seekers’ applications at Hungarian embassies abroad.
This has slowed the number of asylum seekers to a trickle.
Stadium filler
Earlier on Saturday, the pope also met children with disabilities, who performed songs and said a prayer together with him.
Later in the day, he visits the Greek Catholic community.
He closes the day by speaking to an expected 11,000 youths in a stadium before having a private meeting with Jesuits.
On Sunday, he will preside over an open-air mass.
It is Francis’ 41st international trip since becoming pope in 2013 and his first abroad after spending three nights in hospital with bronchitis last month, fuelling concerns about his long-term health.
Despite persistent knee pain forcing him to move around in a wheelchair, the pope appeared to be in shape during this trip.
Francis last visited Hungary — where 39% of the population of 9.7 million people are Catholic — in a brief stopover in 2021.
Francis is the second pope to visit Hungary, after John Paul II made trips in 1991 and 1996.
