Cardinal Krajewski: Pope’s care for Ukraine continues as papal aid arrives in Kharkiv

By Salvatore Cernuzio

The Pope’s charity reaches the heart of the conflict in Ukraine, arriving in Kharkiv, one of the regions most affected by Russian bombing.

The trucks arrived on August 12, carrying food (especially non-perishable goods), baby food, personal hygiene products, clothing, medicines and other essential goods, after leaving Rome last Thursday, August 8.

The entire operation was managed by the Dicastery for Charity, headed by the Dicastery’s prefect, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski.

Help from the Swiss Guards

This latest act of solidarity by the pope – who has continued to send gifts and even ambulances to the population suffering from the conflict since the start of the war, with Cardinal Krajewski having personally delivered aid during a dozen trips to Ukraine – was supported by a group of papal Swiss guards.

The young soldiers spent several hours loading the trucks by hand into the Roman Basilica of Santa Sofia, filling them with boxes up to the roof.

Thanks from the Exarch of Kharkiv

Humanitarian aid sent from Rome has now arrived in the Kharkiv region and has been shared with the local Greek Catholic Church.

In a video sent to Vatican News, the Greek Catholic Bishop of the Exarchate of Kharkiv, Vasyl Tuchapets, expressed his gratitude to the Pope and the Holy See for this gesture of closeness.

Behind him in the video is St. Nicholas Cathedral, where an aid collection center has been set up.

“Praise be to Jesus Christ,” he said. “Humanitarian aid from Rome has arrived at our cathedral. I would like to thank in particular Father Marco Semehen, who organized the collection for the people of Kharkiv who are suffering because of the war. I also thank the Saint Sophia Association, the volunteers and members of the Roman community who prepared and sent this aid. We received items that people always ask for, as well as other things they need.”

Bishop Tuchapets expressed his particular gratitude to Cardinal Krajewski for this help and to the Holy See for its support.

“Recently,” he said, “many people have been evacuated from areas near the Russian border, especially from Vovchansk and Lyptsi, where fighting continues.”

Many of these people, he explained, “arrived in Kharkiv and come to us every day to ask for food and other essential items, such as bed linen and dishes, because they often had to flee with only their documents in hand to save their lives.”

“That is why,” he said, “this humanitarian aid is really important and I thank all the benefactors who responded to our appeal and decided to help the people of Kharkiv who are suffering from the war. We pray for all the benefactors. May God bless you.”

Gifts from the Pope for Ukraine

Contacted by Vatican News, Cardinal Krajewski also expressed his satisfaction. “It is a real joy to receive the news that the trucks with the gifts of the Holy Father and those of many Romans have arrived safely in Ukraine,” he said.

“We could not reveal the location for security reasons,” Cardinal Krajewski said. “These are the most bombed areas, where people are suffering enormously.”

The cardinal also thanked the Swiss Guards, who spent “many, many hours” loading the trucks, as well as “many, many Romans, who were very generous. Really, thank you, thank you, thank you.”

“Naturally, our thanks also go to the Pope,” he added, “who has shown once again his concrete closeness to martyred Ukraine, which he mentions in every public appeal, urging the faithful not to forget it.”