Vatican hosts screening of documentary “20 Days in Mariupol”
Members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See attended an exclusive screening of Mstyslav Chernov's Oscar-winning film “20 Days in Mariupol” on May 29, 2024. The event was organized by the embassies of the United Kingdom and Ukraine to the Holy See.
By Vatican News
“It takes courage to tell the truth, and courage is impossible without charity,” said Archbishop Pavlo Honcharuk, Ordinary of the Diocese of Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia in Ukraine, presenting the documentary.
The exclusive event for the diplomatic corps took place on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, in the Synod Hall of the Vatican, organized by the British and Ukrainian embassies to the Holy See. The screening took place in the presence of diplomats, representatives and collaborators from different departments of the Roman Curia.
The event began with a welcome speech by British Ambassador Christopher Trott, who introduced the film. He was followed by the Ukrainian Ambassador, Andriy Yurash, who thanked the international community for its support to his country, then handed over to Archbishop Pavlo, the city of Mariupol being part of his diocese.
The film, which covers the first three weeks of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, is narrated in the first person by war correspondent Mstyslav Chernov, who documents the first days of the siege of Mariupol and illustrates his experience. According to Chernov, who was present and spoke to the audience after the screening, the horrors they witnessed are only part of what continues to happen, especially in his hometown, Kharkiv.
The spectators left the Synod hall in profound silence. This initiative once again recalled the suffering caused by war, particularly among civilians, with children and the elderly being the main victims.
Screening of the documentary at the Vatican
