The pontiff told the faithful today following a Holy Year Mass that Roman Catholic parishes in Europe will hold a special collection on April 24 as a "humanitarian initiative of support," noting that the elderly and children were the most impacted by the violence in eastern Ukraine.
Fighting between Russia-backed separatists and government troops in eastern Ukraine has killed more than 9,100 people since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.
Francis also noted that tomorrow is the international day against land mines, saying "too many people are killed or mutilated by these terrible weapons, while brave women and men are risking their lives to clear land mines.
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