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March 9, 2022By Vatican News staff writer
Two weeks into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the hostilities continue with massive destruction of infrastructure, loss of lives and property and increasing consequences, some of which are yet unknown. Several Ukrainian cities have come under attack and tens of thousands have had to flee to neighbouring countries in search of safety.
In an interview with Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas, the Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine, describes the situation on the ground from the Nunciature in Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, amid the fighting.
“Since 24 February, every day and every night, there have been missile attacks in different parts of the city,” he said. However, Kyiv is relatively calm in some respects, compared to other cities like Irpin, a suburb of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Chernihiv or Mariupol, he underlines.
The nuncio says that Kyiv is still connected to the outside world but points to the seriousness of the humanitarian crisis in the capital and in other cities.
Access to supplies, food and water
Archbishop Kulbokas acknowledges the work of humanitarian organizations that are doing their best to come to the aid of those in need.
He noted that many families were caught by surprise when the conflict escalated, with supplies for no more than 2 or 3 days, and expressed concern for how they may be currently faring, especially since movement in the city is difficult.
However, in spite of the dangers, he says that volunteer aid workers still make efforts to move about in Kyiv, braving the checkpoints every few meters, to distribute supplies to the needy up till 8:00pm when the curfew begins.
Optimism amid the crisis
Regarding the state of mind of the population in these times, Archbishop Kulbokas describes the morale of the volunteers and the staff of the Nunciature as concerned but courageous.
“We feel that this is a tragedy that we must face together, we must help each other and pray a lot. I see a lot of optimism,” he said.
He admits, however, that the same optimism might not be shared among those who are sick, in need of care, or among women who are giving birth or have children.
In the face of the war, the Nuncio insists that our main weapons are “humility, total abandonment to God, solidarity and love”, because “if we are here for each other, if we are close to God, if we are faithful, He [God] will take care of us.”
He adds that it is only together, “through fasting, prayer, much humility and love” that we can overcome the evil of this war.
No religious dimensions to the war
Reflecting on the causes of the ongoing war, the Nuncio refuses the idea that there are some religious dimensions to the conflict.
Archbishop Kulbokas explains that in Ukraine, the Council of Churches and other religious organizations have been united and close to the people. He insists that this does not mean that all difficulties have been overcome, since in the past some interreligious misunderstandings may have played a role, but notes the war cannot be justified for this reason as difficulties in interfaith relations have to be dealt with in a different way.
He observes that the Ukrainian people are becoming more united even amid the tragedy of the war - a development that he notes is “a very positive sign” even if this might not remain the case in the future.
The Pope’s closeness
The Nuncio acknowledges the Pope’s support for Ukraine in this difficult situation, highlighting that the Holy Father is “doing everything possible to put an end to this war.”
He points out that the Pope’s efforts are not only with words, but also in other ways to contribute to peace, including spiritually and through diplomacy. One such instance in this regard, the Nuncio notes, is that the Papal Almoner is at the border between Poland and Ukraine bringing some humanitarian aid and the closeness of the Pope to the people.
Humanitarian aid
Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) - the Pontifical Foundation dedicated to providing pastoral and humanitarian help to persecuted Christians around the world - recently made a donation of 1.3 million Euros to Ukraine to assist the neediest dioceses.
Expressing gratitude, Archbishop Kulbokas highlighted the difficulty of ascertaining what the exact needs will be given the extensive damage to several structures. He notes that there will be a lot to do because “there are hundreds of destroyed schools, hospitals and houses.”
“The needs will be enormous” he says, “any help that comes in will be greatly appreciated.”