Commemoration of the Holodomor: The Pope Prays for the Victims

With the “Dekulakization” policy, that consisted in the confiscation of the goods of the land owners, known as “kulaks”, a wave of massive repression was orchestrated by Stalin.

This was followed by an unprecedented famine, the consequence of the massive exportation of the grain produced in the country in order to finance the purchase of machines, the idea being to excessively industrialize the country.

Estimates say that between 2.6 and 5 million Ukrainians perished in this famine between 1932 and 1933. During the Angelus on November 26, 2017, Francis recalled “the tragedy of the Holodomor, the death by starvation provoked by the Stalinist regime with millions of victims”, adding that he offered his prayers for Ukraine, “that the power of the faith might contribute to healing the wounds of the past and promoting paths of peace”.