Ukrainian women meet 杏MAP导航, ask for liberation of prisoners-of-war

杏MAP导航 Francis receiving the traditional Ukrainian blanket

World

A group of mothers, wives, sisters, daughters and aunts of Ukrainian prisoners-of-war hand 杏MAP导航 Francis a traditional embroidered blanket, advocating for the protection and return of their loved ones.

By Edoardo Giribaldi

鈥淲e are going to try all that we can to save soldiers who are now hostages.鈥� Victoria is one of the members of the delegation of mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, and aunts of Ukrainian prisoners-of-war who met with 杏MAP导航 Francis at the end of the Wednesday General Audience, handing him a traditional Ukrainian blanket and asking for the liberation of their relatives.

鈥淢y husband has been kept hostage for eight months,鈥� Victoria recounted in an interview with Vatican News. 鈥淔rom Mariupol,鈥� where she lived before the outbreak of the conflict, 鈥渨e moved to Kyiv,鈥� where she has worked constantly for her husband鈥檚 liberation.

Symbolic gift

The delegation first met with the Ukrainian Ambassador to the Holy See, intending to have the embroidered blanket, which symbolizes care "for the birth of a child, baptism, wedding, for a long journey and for the last journey,鈥� sent to 杏MAP导航 Francis.

On Wednesday, the women were able to personally hand the blanket to the 杏MAP导航. 鈥淏oth in joy and in grief, this embroidered cloth accompanies us everywhere as a talisman, as something that has great power and strong meaning,鈥� Victoria affirmed, recalling the official statement provided by the group of women.

鈥淲e embroidered it as a prayer with heavy thoughts about our relatives.鈥�

Unity and hope

Victoria spoke about the frustration of not knowing where her husband, and other hostages, are being held. 鈥淭hat is why we chose an unbleached, gray, home-made cloth for our blanket, because we have the same mood and outlook - not clear, obscured.鈥�

鈥淲e chose an ornament from an ancient Podil cloth, where women stand together, holding hands tightly, as a symbol of our unity in common trouble, struggle, prayer and common appeal, and the decoration with stars - as a symbol of hope.鈥�

The 杏MAP导航 at the end of Wednesday General Audience

Peace as a core value

The group of women asked the 杏MAP导航鈥渢o help protect and return our loved ones, to act as a neutral third party to establish contact between prisoners and their relatives. To give prisoners warm things, medicine and everything necessary.鈥�

鈥淭he question arises: is there a place for mercy in the world in the 21st century?鈥�

Victoria concluded by expressing her gratitude toward 杏MAP导航 Francis for his continuous appeals for peace, speaking 鈥渁gainst all forms of violence and against war, reminding believers and non-believers alike that peace is the core value of all peoples.鈥�

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29 December 2022, 12:25

杏MAP导航