The Prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín, has begun his visit to Ukraine on Pope Leo XIV’s behalf, with a mission that includes meeting with Church and charitable organizations committed to assisting families, children, older people and soldiers.
By Benedetta Capelli
Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, visited Kyiv on 28 October as part of a mission to bring Pope Leo XIV’s support to people affected by the war in Ukraine.
Accompanied by Dicastery Undersecretary, Massimo Ralli, the Archbishop visited charitable centres, shelters and Church communities providing food, accommodation and psychological support to those in need.
The visit began on Tuesday, 27 October, following a 12-hour drive from Warsaw, Poland. Kyiv was the first stop on the mission, which is scheduled to conclude on Friday, 30 October, with visits to several cities, including Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro and Fastiv.
Supporting children and families
After celebrating Mass at the Apostolic Nunciature, Archbishop Marín visited a Caritas-Spes centre in Kyiv with Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas; Bishop Oleksandr Yazlovetskyi, Auxiliary Bishop of Kyiv-Zhytomyr and President of Caritas-Spes; and Father Vyacheslav Grynevych, its Executive Director.
The centre distributes food, provides shelter during attacks for people without a safe place to go, and offers material and psychological assistance to older people and women raising children while their husbands serve at the front.
Particular attention is given to children, many of whom have spent years away from in-person schooling, first because of the Covid-19 pandemic and later because of the war. Many have also been separated from their friends and face isolation.
The organization creates opportunities for children to meet and spend time together, helping them cope with the psychological effects of the conflict.
Assistance during attacks
Archbishop Marín met volunteers and visited the areas where people take shelter during bombardments. Those who come to the centre can find warmth, a hot meal and a place to charge their mobile phones.
The delegation also visited an underground shelter equipped with camp beds. Archbishop Marín blessed the shelter and the people gathered there, praying for the Lord’s protection.
A parish serving hundreds of people
In Kyiv, the delegation also visited a Catholic church that is still under construction but already active as a parish and humanitarian centre.
Volunteers prepare hot meals there every day for hundreds of people, regardless of their religious affiliation. Generators provide electricity and heating, making the parish a place where people can find assistance and shelter.
The church also has a shelter with beds for people seeking protection during nighttime bombardments.
Support from the Greek Catholic Church
At the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church’s Curia in Kyiv, Archbishop Marín was welcomed by its general bursar, Liubomyr Yavoriv, together with collaborators and volunteers.
After visiting the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ, the delegation learned about the services provided by the Church, including the daily preparation of hundreds of hot meals and material, spiritual and psychological support for soldiers through the military ordinariate.
The Church also operates a radio station that broadcasts the Pope’s words and catechesis, helping maintain ties with the Church among people who cannot gather in person.
The meeting included a discussion of the most urgent needs and an exchange of gifts.
A community growing beside a bombed building
The final stop in Kyiv was a small centre established beside a building damaged by bombing.
A military chaplain founded the community in a prefabricated building, where Mass is celebrated and children and families receive material and psychological assistance. The community also offers pastoral care and organizes activities for children.
At Easter, for example, children painted eggs with their fathers who had returned from the front for a few days.
The centre began with a small group of people and has since grown into a larger community, providing support to families affected by the war.
