Pope Leo XIV's Almoner Concludes 3-Day Mission in Ukraine Delivering Humanitarian Aid Including Food, Medicines, and Funds, before the Winter

Pope Leo XIV’s Charity Envoy Concludes Humanitarian Mission to UkraineArchbishop Luis Marín de San Martín, the Papal Almoner, has concluded a three-day, 2,800-kilometer mission to Ukraine, delivering spiritual closeness and direct financial support on behalf of the Pope to communities devastated by war.

Key Highlights of the Visit:

• Frontline Relief in Zaporizhzhia & Poltava: The delegation visited Zaporizhzhia under active bombardment, where the Albertine Fathers distribute bread—baked using an oven donated by the Vatican—to nearly 2,000 people daily, including many unattended children. In Poltava, assistance was directed to internally displaced persons lacking basic necessities, winter clothing, and generators.

• Underground Hope for Children: At the Don Bosco primary school and nursery run by the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Zaporizhzhia, classes continue in underground shelters to protect young children from ongoing airstrikes.

• Care for the Vulnerable in Kyiv: Following a night of missile and drone attacks in the capital, the envoy visited the Missionaries of Charity (Mother Teresa’s sisters), who provide shelter, food, and medical care to 50 displaced, disabled, and bedridden residents. The team also visited DePaul Ukraine (Vincentians), which offers housing and job training.

• Support for Grieving Mothers in Fastiv: At the Saint Martin de Porres Humanitarian Center run by Dominican Fathers, the Archbishop met with mothers who have lost children to the war or whose sons remain missing, offering prayers, psychological support, and emergency aid.

Throughout the trip, the delegation visited 12 Latin and Greek-Catholic institutions, providing direct Papal funding to ensure essential food, medical, and shelter services continue.