The Pope sent medicines and heaters to Ukraine
In response to an appeal describing the situation in Ukraine as a humanitarian disaster, Pope Leo XIV sent a shipment of essential medicines. This was reported by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.
According to the Vatican, the cost of the aid exceeds €1 million. The majority of the shipment was provided by the Banco Farmaceutico ETS Foundation.
In addition to medicines, the aid includes electric heaters. Bishop Pavlo Honcharuk of the Kharkiv-Zaporizhia Diocese requested support for more than 800 families whose entire district was left without heat after strikes on the energy infrastructure. In the short term, it is impossible to restore the heating system.
On 24 February, hundreds of oil-filled electric heaters purchased in Italy arrived in Zaporizhia. In total, more than 1,000 devices will provide heat for families who are in difficult conditions and forced to use temporary shelters or improvised housing.
The Papal Almoner stated that despite logistical and operational difficulties, aid will be distributed quickly to areas affected by the shelling.
This initiative was a practical follow-up to the Pope's appeal during the Angelus prayer on 22 February. At that time, he recalled the anniversary of the start of the war, the victims of the conflict, broken families and suffering, and emphasised the need for peace, which cannot be postponed. The pontiff called on believers to pray that the long-awaited gift of peace would come as soon as possible.
