Eighteen million Euro have been collected through the fundraising initiative for Ukraine launched by Pope Francis last year, with a personal donation of the Holy Father amounting to 5 million Euro. It’s the first time that the Catholic Church devotes such a large sum to an emergency. “The Pope knows very well the fundamental role of humanitarian aid that enables people to survive. Charity is the best form of diplomacy”, said Msgr. Claudio Gugerotti, apostolic nuncio in Ukraine, presently attending a meeting promoted by the Congregation for Eastern Churches in Rome. The nuncio often travels to the so-called “grey-zone” that encompasses the two districts of Donetsk and Lugansk, a theatre of a war hardly spoken about, “neither in Italy nor in the rest of world”. Almost half of the 18 million Euro purposely earmarked have already been spent to purchase medicines and foodstuffs, and for the reconstruction of damaged buildings. A part of the sum was devolved to children’s psychological rehabilitation. A local Committee coordinates the distribution of the aids. The Committee is connected to the Nunciature and chaired by bishop Jan Sobilo, auxiliary of Kharkiv-Zaporizhia. “The Pope – Msgr. Gugerotti said – wants there to be direct intervention for the most needy, regardless of religious creed and nationality.”
You often travel to the Donbass region. What’s the situation on the ground? What have you seen?
Misery. Depopulation. Lonely old people. Destroyed buildings. Artillery shelling and gun fights are ongoing.
Electricity prices have soared. A trade blockade was established. I can assure you that the situation is tragic and it extends beyond poverty. Old people find it hard to receive their Ukrainian pensions. There are heating problems, worst still, people cannot access medicines and healthcare treatments, now worsened by vaccines shortages for children. All bridges have been blown up and Lugansk can be reached only via a very long route or by passing through Russia. The situation is extremely serious.
What are you told by the people that you meet?
They tell me to ask the Pope to put a stop to this war.
This is their request, to pray and to ask the Pope to end the war. Those who make this request are mostly children. These children will bear the scars of what they have seen – and are experiencing – for their whole life. They already carry on their small shoulders the burden of three years of bombings and a life as displaced persons, under the constant threat of the war. It’s a devastating experience.
How can the war be ended?
Children believe in miracles. It’s the reason why children will be the first to enter the Kingdom of God. They believe in God’s love. Miracles are fulfilled through acts of love, through prayer, through small acts of reconciliation. Children believe that if a holy man like the Pope prays, God will listen to him. They don’t ask us how, nor are they experts in diplomacy. They believe in the impossible.
What does the Pope say?
The Pope has in his room an image of Saint Joseph sleeping, under which he places the prayer intentions sent to him from the faithful worldwide. He told me:
“I will place the note with the prayer intentions of the children under St Joseph sleeping so he may constantly address their prayers to God also while I am sleeping.”
Realistically, at diplomatic level, what are the conditions for lasting peace?
That the involved parties engage in dialogue. And the involved parties aren’t only Russia and Ukraine, although they are the main interlocutors. There are areas of influence that are part of larger interests. Thus it is necessary that all the involved parties and all the major powers accept to meet the other around the same table motivated by peaceful intentions. But if during the meeting – as happened in Minks – words are not followed by facts, then it’s just a waste of time and opportunities. It is necessary to keep one’s word. Ultimately, I would also call for a certain degree of human flexibility, which means that when human lives are at stake the decisions can’t be taken only according to capital logics or on the basis of the interests of military powers of in the name of nationalism. All parties must be willing to talk to each other in person.
What is your appeal to Europe?
To wake up. Europe, if you are here, give us a sign.
