Piotr Kowalczuk – Vatican
On the night of June 14-15, the Russian army attacked Kyiv with ballistic missiles, and an Iranian-made Shahed drone struck the historic complex of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, an Orthodox monastery and one of the largest Christian centers in Ukraine. The roof caught fire. Serious damage occurred inside the Dormition Cathedral. The Pechersk Lavra is on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Strong condemnation of the attack
Kyiv Metropolitan Epiphanius condemned the attack, calling it a crime against humanity and Christianity. The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs described these actions as barbarism comparable in history to the bombing of Notre-Dame Cathedral. The Papal Nuncio to Ukraine, Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas, gave a statement to Vatican News about the Russian attack.
Papal Nuncio in Kyiv
The Nuncio said that Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Kyiv were attacked simultaneously. At least 30 ballistic missiles and several hundred drones were used: “When you hear explosions and everything shakes, you feel that no one has control over it. When bombs fall, you feel alone with God.”
Prayers for Russia’s conversion
The Nuncio expressed concerns that no human force is able to stop this conflict and bombings. “This situation, these latest bombings, lead me to pray for Russia’s conversion: to God and to Truth. This would be a huge gift for Russia, for our friends, and also for humanity.”
