As Ukraine marks another Easter under the shadow of war, Pope Francis continues to express his solidarity with the suffering people through concrete gestures of compassion.
In a mission symbolizing the Pope’s ongoing concern, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, has embarked on his 10th humanitarian journey to Ukraine. Acting on behalf of the Pope and accompanied by three Ukrainian drivers, Cardinal Krajewski delivered four fully equipped ambulances to areas hardest hit by the conflict.
The ambulances, bearing the coat of arms of Vatican City State, are outfitted with essential medical equipment designed to save lives on the front lines.
A statement released Monday by the Dicastery for the Service of Charity echoed Pope Francis’ 2024 Urbi et Orbi Easter message, which was both a prayer and a call to action: “Only Jesus opens the doors to life—those very doors we keep shutting with the wars spreading throughout the world.”
Cardinal Krajewski will remain in Ukraine for a few days to stand in solidarity with the people, pray with them, and represent the pastoral care of the Bishop of Rome.
The mission also aligns with the Church’s preparations for the upcoming Jubilee of Hope. In his Bull of Indiction for the Holy Year, Spes non Confundit, Pope Francis wrote: “The first sign of hope should be the desire for peace in our world, which once more finds itself immersed in the tragedy of war… The need for peace challenges us all and demands that concrete steps be taken.”
The gift of ambulances to Ukraine is yet another sign of the Church’s commitment to fostering hope and healing amid suffering—hope that Pope Francis reminds us must be anchored in Christ.
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