Concluding his five-day visit to Ukraine, Cardinal Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin - the Vatican's "Prime Minister" - met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the presidency announced in a press release on July 23, 2024. The meeting discussions naturally underlined the Holy See's commitment to resolving the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
Cardinal Parolin, who arrived in Ukraine on July 19, was sent by Pope Francis to close a Catholic pilgrimage to the Marian shrine of Berdychiv, in the Zhytomyr province, on July 21. This was his first visit to Ukraine since the start of the Russian offensive in February 2022.
During his trip, the cardinal visited the cities of Lviv, Odesa - where he visited a cathedral destroyed by a missile attack a year ago - and Kyiv, where he visited the Okhmatdyt children’s hospital, which was hit by an airstrike on July 8.
In a video posted on X (formerly Twitter), the cardinal assured the Ukrainian president that this was a "really important visit as an expression of the closeness and proximity of the Holy Father to Ukraine."
According to the press release of the Ukrainian presidency, during the meeting in the capital, President Zelensky welcomed the “strong signal from the Holy See” manifested in the Cardinal’s presence. He underlined the role of the Holy See - which mediated the release of a group of prisoners last June - "in building a just and sustainable peace for Ukraine.”
An important visit
The President and the Secretary of State also discussed “the decisions of the first Peace Summit," which took place on June 15 and 16 in Switzerland and brought together representatives from 92 countries. At this event, which Cardinal Parolin attended, the Pontifical Delegation did not sign the final statement, as it had the status of observer in the international meetings, but supported the conclusions.
“Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Pietro Parolin discussed in detail the consequences of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, the continuing aerial terror, including the Russian missile attack on the Okhmatdyt children's hospital, and the difficult humanitarian situation in our country," the statement continued.
"It was important to be present here and to pay a visit [to you]," Cardinal Parolin told the Ukrainian president. Referring to the closing of the annual pilgrimage of Latin Rite Catholics, which he presided over in Berdychiv, he said “it was a very moving experience.” There were “so many people, even though the number was reduced because of the war. But so many people prayed for peace,” he explained.
Cardinal Parolin previously visited Ukraine in June 2016 and August 2021, for the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's declaration of independence.
