Cardinal Parolin to travel to Ukraine in July

By Vatican News

Pope Francis has appointed Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, as Papal Legate for a celebration that takes place during the annual pilgrimage of Latin-rite Ukrainian Catholics to the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Berdychiv.

According to a statement released by the Holy See Press Office, Cardinal Parolin will preside at the concluding celebration of the pilgrimage on Sunday, 21 July 2024.

The Shrine of Berdychiv

Every year approximately 4000 pilgrims travel to the Shrine of Berdychiv in the Zhytomyr region, the biggest Catholic Shrine of Latin rite in Ukraine, to honour the icon of the Mother of God.

Discalced Carmelite Fathers are in charge of the running and upkeep of the Shrine and the monastery. They have done a lot of work on this historical site, founded in the XVII Century, to repair the damage of the Soviet era.

The lower church is part of a crypt, and the Carmelite Fathers open it for use as a bomb shelter for the local population during shellings.