Pope Francis meets with several young Ukrainian pilgrims

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

Pope Francis met with a group of 15 Ukrainian pilgrims on Thursday morning ahead of his public engagements on the second day of his Apostolic Journey to Portugal.

The Pope has made countless appeals since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began, calling frequently for peace and an end of the war.

In a brief statement, the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, confirmed the meeting that took place before the Pope's encounter with university students.

"This morning, before leaving the Nunciature," the statement said, "Pope Francis met a group of 15 young pilgrims from Ukraine accompanied by Mr. Denys Kolada, Consultant for Dialogue with Religious Organisations at the Ukrainian government."

"After listening to their moving stories,"said Mr. Bruni, the Pope "addressed a few words to the young people, expressing his 'sorrowful and prayerful' closeness."

At the end of the half-hour meeting, Pope Francis and the young people recited the Our Father together, "with their thoughts turned toward martyred Ukraine."

Pope Francis touches the Ukrainian flag during the audience

Prayers for a deceased WYD catechist

Also on Thurday, Pope Francis prayed at his Mass for a World Youth Day catechist who died while in Lisbon.

According to the Holy See Press Office, four family members of the deceased 62-year-old woman were present at the Pope's Mass, adding that the catechist apparently died in an accident in the house in which she was a guest.