“It was terrible — a carpet bombing of the city.” “Russian forces unleashed a barrage of missiles, drones and remote-controlled bombs on the city at 3 a.m. until 5:20 a.m. Thank God the death toll was not as high as feared. But there were victims, including a few-month-old baby. Blazes broke out because of the explosions.” Sister Olexia Pohranychna, of the Congregation of Greek Catholic Sisters of St Joseph, described to SIR the daily plight of 32 young people from Kharkiv who reached Italy by bus. They travelled with five accompanying adults. They will remain here on ‘vacation’ until the beginning of July. On Wednesday, 11 June, they attended the general audience with Pope Leo XIV in St Peter’s Square. Sadly, one girl is missing from their group: twelve-year-old Maria and her mother Iryna died on 25 May last year in a Russian airstrike on a hypermarket in Kharkiv. Sixteen other people lost their lives under the rubble that day.
The group arrived in Rome on Monday, 9 June, following a stopover in Venice. Upon arrival, they were welcomed at the St Joseph of Copertino parish, where Father Paolo Pizzuti is the parish priest. They will be staying with local host families, but for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the group will be guests of the parish, where a summer camp is currently taking place, with 280 children from the neighbourhood enjoying football pitches, volleyball games and recreational activities. The Roman parish is acutely aware of the profound suffering and sorrow that the group from Kharkiv bore witness to. “We felt it was important to prepare the host families, so we organised a meeting with a psychologist with expertise in war trauma,” Vito d’Ettorre, a TV2000 correspondent with many years of reporting from Ukraine, told SIR. He organized the Roman leg of the journey together with the parish priest.
“We are filled with joy,” says Fr Paolo Pizzuti: “opening our doors to these young people facing so much suffering and war reminds us of the hardships endured by our fathers and grandfathers in the recent historical past, and gives us the chance to support others in similar situations, just as we were supported at that time. I must say that it was not at all difficult to find families willing to host them. There was a show of solidarity from all.” He further remarked: “their presence among us and in our homes leaves an indelible mark. No one remains indifferent in the face of such experiences. Sometimes, strong bonds are formed. For example, many years ago, our parish welcomed children from Chernobyl, and those bonds are still strong today. The children from back then still write to the families who welcomed them. If they happen to be in Rome, they come to visit them. “When good is done, it is done to Christ, and a mark is left by this encounter with Him in the smallest and suffering one. The Gospel tells us that Jesus left no one indifferent.”
Continued bombardment and warfare is being reported from the city of Kharkiv. On the night of 10 June, Russian forces launched a drone assault with 17 Shahed-type drones. The nine-minute attack left three people dead and 57 wounded, including eight children.
“Children internalise suffering and do not express it,” said the priest from Rome. “They show great dignity even in their sorrow.”
“We bring the reality of war, which we experience daily in our hearts and minds, to the heart of the Church in Rome”, says Sister Olexia Pohranychna, who is accompanying the group. “Also Maria, a baby who died a year ago and was supposed to come with us, is with us in spirit.” “Our visit also serves to express our gratitude to Pope Leo for his prayers and support of the Ukrainian people”, she added. On Friday 13 June, the group will depart Rome and make a preliminary stop in Como, where they have been invited by Frontiere di Pace (Frontiers of Peace). They will then travel to Brescia, specifically to Ponte di Legno, where they will remain from 27 June to 5 July as guests of the charity ‘Amici in cordata nel mondo.” Both charity organisations have visited Kharkiv several times and sent convoys of humanitarian aid.
“The devastating consequences of war have been endured by these youths in their daily lives for a long time now. The bombings are continuous. When the attacks end, they thank God for being alive. But they are always afraid. That fear never leaves them”, says the nun. “They are all worn out by this war that stripped them of their family members, some of whom have died, while others are still fighting on the front lines. Many others are held in Russian prisons. In the city, there has been an increase in the number of people with no legs or hands, or wearing prosthetic limbs. We had only ever read about war amputees in history books. We never thought we would see them again in our lifetime. It’s all very sad. The war has robbed these young people of their youth. What they need most is peace and quiet. This trip to Italy is a blessing from God.” Sister Olexia is keen to add: “We wish to thank the Italian people. You have no idea how many messages I received last night from people asking if we were all alive and how I fared. Your help and your presence are a great support. If we are here in Italy today, it is only thanks to your extraordinary gesture of covering all the travel expenses, opening your homes and organising activities and visits. Thank you!”
