Kyiv: Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi offered a heartfelt prayer for peace in Ukraine on Tuesday as he continued his humanitarian mission to the war affected country, calling on God to grant a just peace and bring comfort to families separated by the conflict.
The Archbishop of Bologna and President of the Italian Bishops' Conference is on a four day visit to Ukraine to express the closeness and support of Pope Leo XIV. His visit also aims to strengthen humanitarian efforts started during his first mission to Ukraine in 2023, when he was sent by Pope Francis to help open channels of dialogue and assist people affected by the war.
During a public ceremony in Kyiv marking Ukrainian Statehood Day, Cardinal Zuppi prayed in Ukrainian, asking God to bless and protect the people of Ukraine. He prayed for a just peace, the safe return of prisoners of war, the reunion of children with their families, the discovery of those still missing, and for grieving families to find comfort after losing loved ones in the conflict.
He also prayed that people on all sides would receive the wisdom and courage to become builders of peace instead of allowing the war to continue.
The ceremony took place at St Michael's Square in front of the historic Golden Domed Monastery. The location has become a place of remembrance since Russia launched its full scale invasion of Ukraine, with photographs of those who died in the war displayed along the nearby Memory Wall.
Cardinal Zuppi joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, religious leaders, and other participants in a procession along the memorial. Carrying a bouquet of red roses, he placed the flowers in memory of those who had lost their lives on the battlefield.
In another part of his prayer, Cardinal Zuppi asked for the intercession of Saint Volodymyr, the ruler who brought Christianity to Kyivan Rus in the year 988. He noted that both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin share the saint's name and prayed that Saint Volodymyr would enlighten the minds and hearts of both leaders, opening paths toward justice and peace.
The ceremony marked the annual celebration of the Baptism of Kyivan Rus, one of the most important events in Ukrainian Christian history. The day also serves as Ukrainian Statehood Day, a national holiday established in 2021 to honour the country's historical and spiritual heritage.
Among those attending the event were Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, representatives of different religious communities, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who was visiting Ukraine once again in a show of European support.
Cardinal Zuppi arrived in Ukraine on July 13 and travelled through the Lviv region before reaching Kyiv. His mission focuses on humanitarian issues that remain among the most painful consequences of the war. These include efforts to support exchanges of prisoners of war, secure the return of Ukrainian children whom Kyiv says were taken to Russia, and help recover the bodies of those killed during the fighting.
As part of his visit, the Cardinal is scheduled to meet representatives of local charities, humanitarian organisations, and government institutions working on these issues. While there is no official meeting planned with President Zelenskyy during this visit, the two leaders met during Cardinal Zuppi's earlier peace mission in 2023.
Before arriving in Kyiv, Cardinal Zuppi visited the Zakhid 1 detention centre in the Lviv region, where prisoners of war captured during the conflict are being held. He also met Maksym Kozytskyi, head of the Lviv Regional Military Administration, who thanked the Holy See for its continued efforts to help return prisoners and children and assist in locating people reported missing during the war.
The Cardinal later visited the Lviv headquarters of the Community of Sant'Egidio, where he met members of the local Catholic community and families displaced by the conflict. He offered words of encouragement and assured them of Pope Leo XIV's prayers and continued concern for the people of Ukraine.
Cardinal Zuppi's visit comes as the war continues to cause widespread suffering across Ukraine. Through prayer, humanitarian engagement, and dialogue, the Vatican hopes to support efforts that ease human suffering and encourage steps toward a lasting and just peace.s