Pope Francis celebrated the Regina Coeli in St Peter's Square, renewing his call for the opening of humanitarian corridors in Ukraine, AFP reported.

"Even now, even from here, I repeat my call for safe humanitarian corridors to be set up for the people trapped in the steelworks in that city (Mariupol ed.),” the Pope said.

"I suffer and weep when I think of the suffering of the Ukrainian people, especially the weakest, the elderly and children. There are even terrible reports of children being expelled and deported."