UKRAINE

Papal envoy brings message of peace and prosperity

 

Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches said “I have come with a message and good wishes of peace and prosperity for this country,” when he visited Ukraine as papal envoy last week.

Cardinal Sandri arrived in Kiev on July 11 for a seven-day visit to Kiev, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Lviv, Kramatorsk and Slovansk. In addition, he took part in the annual Pan-Ukrainian pilgrimage to the Zarvanytsya Marian pilgrimage centre.  The head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, Patriarch Sviatoslav Schevchuk and the Apostolic Nuncio in Ukraine, Monsignor Claudio Gugerotti received Cardinal Sandri on his arrival at “Borispol” international airport.

 “I am happy to come to Ukraine to honour Our Lady of Zarvanytsya and to transmit to her the honour, love and respect that the Church of Rome has for Her and for all the Ukrainian people,” announced Cardinal Sandri.

“Today’s visit is associated with the sad events that the Ukrainian people are living,” the Cardinal continued. “That is why I have come with a message and wishes of peace and prosperity to this country, which is a great hope for the whole world.” He then transmitted the “warm greeting, prayer and blessing of the Holy Father Francis to the head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church Sviatoslav, to all the Metropolitans and Bishops of the Church and to the faithful.”

The papal envoy also prayed at the foot of the Cross erected in honour of the “Hundred Heavenly Heroes” and visited the National Memorial Museum to the victims of the Holodomor [death by hunger].

ACN Malta