The Pope and Gorbachev

In 1987 John Paul II expressed the desire to go to Moscow. The Armata Bianca, one of whose main goals is the conversion of Russia, interpreted the Pope’s encounter with Gorbachev as sign of hope and light for humanity.

All the children of the Armata Bianca in Italy and all over the world were put in motion to recite the rosary every day and make the sacrifice of not watching TV for this intention; moreover, the children sent Gorbachev about 20,000 letters so that he would accept the Pope’s visit. The meeting didn’t take place in Moscow, but in Rome, on December 1, 1989, and a special issue of the White Army’s magazine was dedicated to the children’s subsequent “victory”:

Armata Bianca 1990 no.1

WE DID IT!

GORBACHEV MET THE POPE IN ROME

Thank you children!

December 1, 1989: Gorbachev meets the Pope in the Vatican

About two years ago, on the occasion of the millennium of Christian Russia, the Pope expressed the desire to go to Russia. The obstacles seemed insurmountable and the children of the Armata Bianca were asked to commit themselves to prayer, so that all difficulties could be overcome.

The desires of our Daddy on earth are commands, and immediately tens of thousands of children went into action as they began to recite the rosary for this intention and make the sacrifice of not watching TV.

Of course, the Pope didn’t want to go to Moscow for sightseeing; Russia is connected with the history of this century just as Our Lady said in Fatima on July 13, 1917: “From Russia will emerge an error which will conquer the world…but in the end Russia will be converted”.

Interpreting the spirit which had inspired the Pope in making his request, we sent him the following letter

Aquila, March 25, 1988
Annunciation of Our Lady

Our father here on earth,
When you will be able to embrace, in Russian land, the leader of that nation, “heaven and earth will meet”. It will be the “sign” of the beginning of the great reassembling.
So that this may come true we pledge to mobilize all the children of the ARMATA BIANCA: the obstacles will fall, the barriers will collapse and the great encounter will take place.
We will succeed because in Mary and in the Father we’re the stronger ones.
We love you very much. In your strong embrace please give us every blessing.

Father Andrea D’Ascanio ofm cap.
Spiritual Leader of the Armata Bianca

In order to make the initiative more tangible we asked the children to write a letter to Gorbachev, General Secretary of the USSR, so that he would invite the Pope to Moscow.

At the same time, with the same purpose, we started – as Armata Bianca – a petition among adults, by gathering hundreds of thousands of support postcards which we sent to those in authority. The children sent us about 19,000 letters which we sent to Gorbachev through semi-official channels. We will cite some of these letters because they are enjoyable in their freshness and in order to thank the children of the White Army who, with enthusiasm and conviction, responded to our appeal.

“To my dear friend Gorbachev…”

“Dearest Gorbachev…”, “Dear Michel Gorbachev…”, “Dear Michael…”, “Dear President…”, “Dear Honourable Mikhail Gorbachev…”, “Dear, or rather, dearest President…”, “My dear brother Gorbachev…”. These are a few of the many letter headings of letters that thousands of children wrote to Mikhail Gorbachev, General Secretary of the Soviet Union.

We were pleasantly surprised to note with what variety the children began the letters, but even more for the display of fondness which is heart-felt in all of them towards the leader of the Soviet Union. How can we explain this kind and cordial attitude towards a politician who belongs to a category that doesn’t fit in with those of traditional “idols” of youth and children?

The explanation becomes clear while reading the letters: what children care about most is PEACE, and the few times they saw Gorbachev on TV convinced them that he is a man of PEACE. And the hearts of children are not wrong when they “feel” these kinds of realities. However, let’s let the children speak:

“Dear Gorbachev, I know I should address you with the polite form because you rule one of the biggest countries in the world, but let’s talk like friends. I also know that you have lots of things to do and you have little time to devote to reading this letter; but please stop a while in your hurry and think about the simple things in life too. I know you have already done a lot of things for world peace, like reducing nuclear weapons, but precisely because you think of peace, don’t you think it would be appropriate for the Pope to visit your country and talk with you? Even he is committed to bringing peace in the world…even many citizens of your country would be happy to shake his hand, see his smile and listen to his words. I assure you, it’s really nice being next to the Pope. Think about it, start talking about it and fulfil this dream which humanity has been awaiting for so long”. (Pietro, an Italian boy – Aquila)

“Dear Gorbachev, I am an 11-year old boy. In this letter I am asking you for a favour, that is, to let the Pope come to Russia. We children of the fifth grade ask you for this favour to let you understand that war is a very bad thing, while peace is a very beautiful thing, and we all want it. You, Gorbachev, must understand that the Pope travels all over the world in order to bring peace to men of good will, …he will do this in Russia too, that is why we children ask you to welcome him”. (Giovanna, Palagiano – Taranto)

“My dear brother Gorbachev, I belong to the Armata Bianca too, during this time I and all the children of this prayer group are praying for you and for the Holy Father, so that you may welcome him at the Kremlin. Dear Gorbachev, we are all waiting for that era of peace which Our Lady has promised to all humanity…We have been following you with so much love because we have seen in you the man who Jesus’ Mommy has predestined for her plan. We know you pray and Our Mother in Heaven is happy, now She is waiting for your invitation and she is waiting for you with open arms, when you welcome the Pope you will also welcome Her, the Mother of Jesus. We pray for you because you are good. The future of the world is in your answer…” (Cristina, Aquila).

“Dear Michel Gorbachev, I am writing you with my heart…, I hope you will welcome the Pope warmly and welcome him with an embrace of peace so that the war will end…When I heard in one of your speeches that you were talking about God I realized that you are different from the others and that you believe in God. If you want some peace, wait for the Pope who will bring it to you and to the whole world…” (Alessandro, Vasto Marina – Chieti)

“Dearest Michel Gorbachev,…the Pope would like to come to Russia, and I hope you will accept, because it is a work of love…Dearest friend, you and the Pope, give each other a warm embrace which the whole world will feel. We know you want to save the world, and find peace. We are close to you in our prayers, with our heart and with all our love…Bye to my best friend”. (Luisa, Casalbordino – Chieti)

“Dear Gorbachev, I am a 10-year-old girl and I am in the fifth grade in Lugarno Switzerland….Pope John Paul II would like to go to Russia as a pilgrim but he is not allowed to. Why don’t you let him come to your beautiful country? He travelled throughout the whole world and it’s a shame he can’t come to Russia. Please, let him come!” (Tristana, Lugarno – Switzerland)

“Dear Mikhail Gorbachev, I understand your personal reasons for not letting the Pope come to Moscow but it’s also true that the children of Moscow have never seen him!” (Paolo, Casoria – Naples)

“My dear friend Gorbachev,…we would like so much for you to give your consent so that the head of the Catholic Church may come to Russia. The Pope is the friend of humanity and the servant of God. Don’t close the door to hope, but open it and welcome the one who strives for a sole aim: LOVE amongst men. In the assurance that our expectations won’t be disappointed, we give you our regards with profound admiration” (Silvestro and all the children of the Middle School of Bitonto – Bari)

“Dear Michael, you are the leader of Russia, I beg you to let the Pope come in if you want Peace. Let him come in! I am a little boy in the second grade, I am eight and my name is Giuseppe. Even if I’m little I understand that peace is important for the whole world. Bye, Michael” (Giuseppe, Bonarcado – OR)

“Dearest Gorbachev,…I beg you to accept the Pope’s embrace so that it will be a sigh of hope for all. Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta converted Portugal and they were little. Why can’t you, who are big, convert your Nation? I hope my letter will touch your heart. A big kiss to you and your wife”. (Lucia, Vasto – CH)

“Dearest President Gorbachev, I am a 10 1/2 –year-old girl, I beg you, since you are so good, let the Pope come to Russia, as you did with Reagan, when you shook hands as a sign of Peace. Please! I would like this to happen because I don’t like war or violence. Remember that besides myself there are 1,000 children writing to you, so please, in the name of 1,000 children, let the Pope come to Moscow”. (Giovanna, Aquila)

“Dear Gorbachev, I know the Pope has a great desire to come to visit your country and that you are not very much in favour of this encounter. However, I would like to ask you to reflect because I don’t think there is anything wrong about this encounter between you and the Holy Father. I would like to point out to you that even a powerful Statesman like you needs kind words…Your people have suffered too much, there have been too many victims of political persecution. The cries of people who demand peace and freedom are too loud. What reassures me is that basically you are a man of Peace and you hate war too. Welcome the Pope amongst your people and listen to the words of love and brotherhood amongst men. After this encounter I will invite you to Aquila”. (Riccardo, Aquila)

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These are only a few of the numerous letters which children wrote. The spirit that inspires the others is basically the same: in this embrace between the Head of the nation officially without God and the Head of the people of God, children see a great guarantee of hope and Peace. We agree with them, and we unite our voices to theirs.

Dear children, in Rome, at the Vatican, the Pope and Gorbachev exchanged “the warmest embrace which the whole world will feel",as Luisa wrote. On this occasion Gorbachev officially invited the Pope to Moscow.

Thank you, children!

The merit of what is happening in the East is yours too: some of the 19,000 letters certainly reached the recipient; and it’s even more certain that all your prayers and sacrifices went straight to the Heart of the Father in heaven and did a lot more than complex diplomatic manoeuvres.