Papal Almoner to travel to Ukraine to bring Pope’s closeness

Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, is preparing to bring Pope Leo’s closeness to Ukraine, especially to those suffering from the dramatic consequences of the war, which has now been going on for more than four years and eight months.

The Prefect will depart on 27 October and return on the 30th, accompanied by the Dicastery’s Undersecretary, Professor Massimo Ralli.

The mission seeks to give concrete expression to the Pope’s commitment to peace and follows the telephone calls he made, including one while he was in the hospital, to Russian President Vladimir Putin and subsequently to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

These conversations aimed to secure a solution to the difficult humanitarian situation in Oleshky, which is under siege by Russian forces and where the population has been reduced to starvation.

The Pope continues to show concern for the painful situations endured by so many people.

For this reason, the Papal Almoner will travel to offer comfort by visiting several communities in the cities of Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro and Fastiv.

The trip will be marked by a spirit of fraternity and will involve both the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and the Latin-rite Church, which are jointly participating in this mission of solidarity.