KHARKIV (UCAN): Greek-Catholic Bishop Vasyl Tuchapets of the Kharkiv Exarchate in Ukraine expressed his gratitude to Pope Francis and the Vatican for once again sending truckloads of much-needed aid material for people who have taken refuge with the diocese.
“Praise be Jesus Christ. Humanitarian aid from Rome has arrived at our cathedral,” Bishop Tuchapets said in a video message on August 14, Vatican News reported.
“We have received items that people are always asking for, as well as other things they need,” the bishop added as he stood in front of Kharkiv’s St. Nicholas Cathedral.
The Dicastery for Charity, led by its prefect, Konrad Cardinal Krajewski, had sent trucks carrying food, baby food, personal hygiene products, clothing, medicines, and other essential goods. The aid trucks departed from Rome on August 8 and had reached Kharkiv on August 12, Vatican News reported.
Bishop Tuchapets pointed out that many people have been evacuated from areas near the Russian border, “especially from Vovchansk and Lyptsi, where fighting is ongoing.”
Many of these people “have arrived in Kharkiv and come to us daily asking for food and other essential items, such as bed linens and dishes, because they often had to flee with only their documents in hand to save their lives,” the bishop said.
He emphasised that the humanitarian aid received “is truly important,” and thanked all the benefactors who responded to the Church’s appeal and thanked Father Marco Yaroslav Semehen, head of the Association of Santa Sofia in Rome, which was among the organisers of the aid efforts.
He also thanked the volunteers and the members of the Roman community who assisted the Dicastery of Charity in preparing and dispatching the aid materials.
Cardinal Krajewski who managed the entire operation of sending the aid trucks expressed satisfaction on the arrival of the much-needed aid material.
“Earlier, we couldn’t reveal the location for security reasons. These are the most heavily bombed areas, where people are suffering greatly,” the cardinal explained.
He also thanked the Swiss Guard who reportedly spent, “many, many hours,” loading the trucks by hand at the Roman Basilica of Santa Sofia, “filling them with boxes up to the roof,” Vatican News reported.
