Archbishop Georg Gänswein, appointed in June as apostolic nuncio to the Baltic states, shared his experiences adapting to his new role.
Previously, he served as Pope Benedict XVI’s private secretary and later as the prefect of the Papal Household.
In June, Pope Francis assigned him to Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, countries on the eastern edge of NATO, a significant shift for Archbishop Gänswein.
In an interview with German Catholic agency KNA, he reflected on the ongoing war in Ukraine, which has raised palpable concern in the Baltic region due to its proximity to Russia.
While fear and hardship are prevalent, Archbishop Gänswein emphasised the need for hope and resilience.
The archbishop described “to actively help maintain peace” as a central priority of his work, highlighting that the Vatican, though not a military or financial power, offers spiritual guidance that provides hope and strength.
Archbishop Gänswein also discussed the Holy See’s efforts in mediating the conflict, with Pope Francis continually calling for peace.
However, the war has disrupted ecumenical relations, particularly with the Orthodox Church, where many priests have distanced themselves from the Moscow Patriarchate.
Due to this division, ecumenical dialogue at the bishop level has been paused, a situation of concern for the Catholic Church in the region. “Many Orthodox priests have not only distanced themselves from the Moscow Patriarchate, they have broken with it,” he said.
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