Cardinal Peter Turkson prayed for peace in Ukraine and conveyed blessings to the Ukrainian people from Pope Francis

Archbishop Claudio Gugeroti, Apostolic Nuncio in Ukraine, Bishop Bohdan (Dziurah), Secretary of the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC, and Bishop Josyph (Milian), Assistant Bishop of the Kyiv Archeparchy also prayed with his Eminence.

Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, explaining Cardinal Péter Kodwo Appiah Turkson's mission in the Church, said that he is responsible for matters related to migration, is engaged in charitable projects of the Pope, in particular when urgent assistance to victims of natural disasters, cataclysms, wars should be provided. In addition, the Cardinal deals with the problem of trafficking in human beings. According to him, the dicastery, which includes all these areas of ministry, can be compared with the Ministry of Social Policy.

"I convey to you the most sincere wishes from the Holy Father Francis and from Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Apostolic See. At the same time, I express my deep joy from the fact that I can be with you and pray for peace with you," said the high guest in his speech at the Patriarchal Cathedral.

"During the prayer, we asked God for peace. Because we know that peace is God's gift. Therefore, we become humble before the face of the Lord, in order to beg Him for a gift of peace for this land, and especially for the eastern part of Ukraine, bearing the kindness and love to the brothers and sisters who live there," he added.

Cardinal Turkson has called for the opening of hearts, communities, temples for suffering brethren and sisters. "We pray for peace in Ukraine. We pray to be able to convey His love and charity to those who are in that part of the country where there is no peace. Let us ask God bless the Father and the Head of the UGCC, the President and Head of the Government of your country," called the messenger of Pope Francis.

At the end of the Prayer for Peace, Bishop Bohdan mentioned the invitation that the representatives of the Catholic Church in Ukraine have repeatedly expressed to the Holy Father, to visit their spiritual children in Ukraine on a pastoral visit - to visit "this people and this land that are so dear to the Holy Father."

As a sign of gratitude for the visit and for caring for those who suffer from the war in Ukraine, the Secretary of the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC presented to the Cardinal Turkson Easter egg (pysanka) with the image of St. Nicholas," which is the embodiment of Divine kindness," and also handed over two paintings made by children from one of the villages in Luhansk region, where assistance was provided within the framework of the "Pope for Ukraine" campaign.

Then all the prayer participants prayed in the crypt, where His Beatitude Lubomyr rests, and Cardinal Turkson shared his personal remembrance of the deceased Head of the UGCC. "He did not see physically, but he saw spiritually very far - up to Paradise, up to the house of the Father of Heaven," said the high guest.

The UGCC Department for Information