Amid the unabated raging of war, the Vatican's Special Envoy, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, conducted a pastoral and diplomatic visit to Ukraine. During his visit, the Holy See's Secretary for Relations with States led a prayer service with more than 3,000 believers at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Berdychiv, to implore justice and peace for the country.
Archbishop Gallagher's presence coincided with the 35th anniversary of the restoration of the Latin Rite Catholic Church structure in Ukraine. This outdoor Mass was the first to be held since the outbreak of the invasion, gathering thousands of families, the elderly, and vulnerable groups longing for serenity under spiritual shelter.
The visit took place under the shadow of intense military tensions. Just hours before the celebration began, the capital Kyiv was hit by a wave of heavy air strikes consisting of dozens of ballistic missiles and hundreds of drones. Powerful explosions even shook the Apostolic Nunciature building where Archbishop Gallagher was staying, forcing diplomatic staff to evacuate to the underground shelter.
In his touching homily, Gallagher conveyed a message of solidarity from the Holy Father and reminded the faithful not to lose hope in God. Referring to the story of the Prophet Elijah on Mount Carmel who tirelessly prayed for rain, he encouraged Ukrainians to persevere in praying for peace as the ultimate gift from the Almighty.
Furthermore, he emphasized that the violence of war will never be able to strip them of their human dignity. The religious ceremony was also attended by church leaders across rites, including the Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, showing deep solidarity amid the threat of a humanitarian crisis.
In addition to carrying out his religious mission, the Vatican representative is also scheduled to undertake a series of important diplomatic meetings. He is set to meet with several high-ranking state officials, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, to discuss concrete steps toward a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
