Fr. Natanael Harasym said, "It wasn’t easy. My mother didn't want to leave her country, her home."
Fr. Natanael Harasym, from the Greek-Catholic chaplaincy of Lisbon, wanted to bring his mother, Eva Harasym, to safety with him in Portugal. However, first he had to convince her to leave Ukraine so he could pick her up in Poland. Like many others, she initially resisted the idea.
Fr. Harasym was unable to accompany her during the departure from Ukraine, which was probably one reason she held back; she had to cross the border on foot, despite her advanced age. Fr. Natanael reported to Portugal’s Ecclesia news agency: