“I have great faith in civil organisations. Because war cannot be resolved through political means, let alone military means. It requires an idea. And you, men and women who have come here from Italy, are not just one group among many. You are a force of humanity.” With these words, Monsignor Visvaldas Kulbokas, Apostolic Nuncio to Kyiv, welcomed 110 Italian activists to Maidan Square, in the heart of the city. The peace initiative was promoted by MEAN – the European Movement for Non-Violent Action – and supported by church movements and associations, mayors and local administrators. “I do not see any political forces in the world capable of stopping the war,” said the nuncio, addressing them. “Politicians remain stuck in their paradigms. Peace is a challenge for all of us. And this applies to all wars.” In Kyiv, 3,000 buildings have been destroyed in the last three years, many of which have already been rebuilt. There are reports of 4,000 civilian deaths in this city alone. These estimates are plausible given the daily attacks targeting cities with missiles and drones. “If we leave the question of war and peace to politicians,” argues the nuncio, “we struggle to find concrete proposals. That is why I have supported your initiative from the beginning, because it is a way of making a human pilgrimage and taking history into our own hands. I see no other forces today that can do this. We must find within ourselves the answers to this war and other wars.” Addressing the large Italian group that visited Maidan Square as their first act of this Jubilee of Hope in Ukraine to pay tribute to the fallen, the nuncio said: “We are in a symbolic place. Let us pray not only for the fallen Ukrainians but also for the Russian soldiers who lost their lives and for all the victims of all wars. And
in this Jubilee Year, we come together in prayer for the faithful and in silence for the non-believers. We thank those who have given their lives and stand in solidarity with those who have suffered. We embrace them all.
It is an act of mercy.” Along with other journalists present in Maidan Square, SIR interviewed him.
When Pope Francis proclaimed the Jubilee Year ‘the year of hope’, you spoke of a particular meaning of hope. In what sense?
When Pope Francis proclaimed the Jubilee Year the year of hope, he also emphasized one particular point: certainly, for us, hope is God, but we too are bearers of hope for one another. When we think of others, when we are close to others, when we perform acts of mercy, we are bearers of hope. I am the nuncio in Ukraine, and here I welcome those who have come from Italy and other countries to celebrate precisely this: being close to others and being bearers of hope, especially when there is little hope from a human point of view.
The new Pope Leo XIV is particularly close to the Ukrainian people…
He not only is close to them, but this October the Pope has also pointed out that we should dedicate this month to a persistent prayer for peace. This is not only an invitation to believers: it means
thinking and working for peace as an appeal to everyone.
You thanked those who came to show their support. What does this mean for Ukraine?
I am grateful to everyone who came, because we share a hope. We never give up when there is little hope; we come together to reflect on what can be done. This is certainly a critical moment, particularly in terms of diplomatic negotiations. This conflict is spreading throughout Europe.
What is the role of Holy See diplomacy in achieving a just peace in this context?
War is now so widespread and fierce that it is no longer a question of whether or not the Holy See is involved. We must all work together here. I represent the Holy Father and the Holy See: understanding how we can fulfill our spiritual and moral obligations is a significant challenge for us. However we must all be united here, including civil society, with diplomacy from the bottom up.
What role does civil society play in the face of great political leaders?
The fact that we are witnessing a war like the one in Ukraine in Europe today means that our international policy is unable to resolve such conflicts. This raises a very big question: what can we do? As individuals, as groups and as civil institutions. This does not mean that we will find an answer immediately, but we must work hard to do so.
There is also talk of a possible visit by Pope Leo XIV to Kyiv. What might this entail?
A very important aspect is that even today, welcoming those who have come here is not just about their physical presence: it is about sensing the atmosphere, and feeling the heart. I was talking with a nun this morning, and I asked her, ‘Did you sleep well?’ She replied, ‘No, I was sleeping, but in my head I had the impression that missiles and drones were flying back and forth.’
Experiencing war first-hand helps to ensure that it is not just a theoretical concept.
When we perceive it emotionally as well, we ask ourselves the question differently. This is very important in itself: it enables us to develop an even deeper empathy with those who suffer.
