Archbishop Gallagher visits Kyiv on second day in Ukraine

By Stefano Leszczynski - Lviv, Ukraine

It’s the second day of Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher’s visit to Ukraine.

The Secretary for Relations with States arrived in the country to bear witness to Pope Francis' closeness and empathy with a people at war for 85 days now.

In the capital Kyiv, numerous institutional meetings await him, as well as visits to various places that have become symbols of the atrocities of war.

Meeting refugees in Lviv

In an atmosphere of great participation and recollection, Archbishop Gallagher, on the first day of his visit, was received by the Catholic Archbishop of Lviv, Mieczysław Mokrzycki.

The prelate was able to visit two centres for displaced persons, which at the most critical moments were hosting over 500 refugees. To them, Archbishop Gallagher brought the Pope's affection, closeness and solidarity for the anguished suffering that the ongoing conflict has caused, hoping that peace may soon return to all of Ukraine.

Among the first meetings the Archbishop had was with the leadership of the city's Greek Catholic Church to reiterate the importance of ecumenical dialogue in the difficult process of reconstruction that awaits the country in the near future.

Before taking his leave, he blessed the entire city of Lviv from the terrace of the Archbishop's Residence, which despite the apparent calm continues to remain a possible target of bombings, as recalled by the air-raid sirens that ring out frequently day and night.