Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Vatican, has been appointed by Pope Francis will make another visit of great spiritual and pastoral significance for Ukrainian Catholics of the Latin rite.
In a letter dated 13 July 2024, the Pope appointed Cardinal Parolin as Pontifical Legate for the final celebration of the national pilgrimage at the Marian Shrine of Berdychiv. This celebration, scheduled for 21 July 2024, marks a moment of hope amid the devastation of war, which began with the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
In his letter written in Latin, Pope Francis stressed the importance of this shrine, which “has been visited on pilgrimage by Catholic faithful of the Latin rite from various regions of Ukraine and neighbouring places for about four centuries.”
In this context, the pilgrims, before the venerated image of the Mother of God, “confidently set out on their journey, especially in this disastrous and sad time of war, to ask with one voice for the long-awaited gift of peace from the sweetest Virgin Mary,” he added.
After 28 months of war, the scale of humanitarian needs is considerable. According to the UN, more than 32,000 civilian casualties have been recorded, including 11,000 deaths, although the real figure is probably much higher. In addition, 30% of pre-conflict jobs have been lost and poverty has increased from 5% to 25%. By 2024, more than 14.6 million people, or 40% of the population, will need humanitarian assistance.
Cardinal Parolin will not be alone in this mission. He will be accompanied by Fr. Ruslan Mykhalkiv, rector of the Seminary of the Kyiv-Zhytomyr Diocese, and Fr. Andriy Lehovich, secretary of the Archbishop of Lviv of the Latins.
The letter calls for peace, urging participants to “implore with fervent prayers the Queen of Peace for an end to the war in Ukraine and everywhere in the world.”
Pope Francis highlighted the humility of the Virgin Mary as an example to follow, stating that she “stands out in the world and in the Church as an incomparable teacher of peace throughout all generations.
According to the letter, the temple located in the city of Berdychiv was granted the status of a national shrine in 2011 and is administered by the Order of the Discalced Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel.
For about four centuries, thousands of Latin Catholic believers from various regions of Ukraine and neighbouring places have come to this place to venerate the image of the Virgin Mary.