Vatican sends new humanitarian mission to Ukraine ahead of ‘very harsh winter’

Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín, prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, will lead a humanitarian mission to Ukraine from Oct. 27 to 30. The visit, coordinated through the Apostolic Nunciature, includes stops in Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, and Fastiv. Archbishop Marín intends to meet with Latin-rite and Greek Catholic communities to assess the needs of the population ahead of a predicted harsh winter.

The mission follows a collection drive among Vatican employees and the Governorate of Vatican City State. Collected supplies include warm clothing, blankets, sheets, sleeping bags, canned food, and other garments. These items will be transported to Ukraine by road using the international TIR transit system. Archbishop Marín stated the mission serves to provide concrete assistance in the name of Pope Leo XIV.