Pope Leo XIV will send the Spanish Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín, papal almoner and prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, to Ukraine on a humanitarian mission scheduled to take place from October 27 to 30. The trip will follow telephone conversations the Pontiff held with the presidents of Russia and Ukraine to address the grave situation of the civilian population in Oleshky, in the Kherson region.
According to Vatican News reported, Marín de San Martín will travel accompanied by Massimo Ralli, undersecretary of the dicastery, and will visit communities in Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, and Fastiv. The mission will involve the participation of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church and Latin-rite Catholic communities, which will collaborate in assistance efforts for the population.
The purpose of the trip is to deliver humanitarian aid and personally express Pope Leo XIV’s closeness to those suffering the consequences of a war that has continued since February 2022.
The Pope requested a truce to aid the population of Oleshky
The mission comes just days after Leo XIV personally intervened with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky to try to alleviate the humanitarian situation in Oleshky, a city in the Kherson region under Russian occupation whose population faces a severe shortage of food, water, and medicine.
The Pontiff spoke with the Russian president on October 16 while hospitalized at the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome. During the conversation, he expressed concern for the civilians trapped in the town and requested a humanitarian truce that would allow the entry of supplies and the voluntary and safe evacuation of those wishing to leave the area.
Three days later, on October 19, Leo XIV held a telephone conversation with Zelensky, in which he again addressed the situation in Oleshky and the need to ensure access to food and medical assistance.
These efforts have taken place alongside diplomatic contacts aimed at facilitating a humanitarian operation in the town. According to information released by Vatican News, representatives of Ukraine and Russia have confirmed a local ceasefire agreement, scheduled to take effect on Tuesday, October 27, with the aim of allowing assistance and evacuation of civilians.
Humanitarian aid ahead of winter’s arrival
Coinciding with the preparation of the trip, the Apostolic Almonry has organized an extraordinary collection of essential items among Vatican employees, intended for Ukrainian families facing another winter amid the war.
The campaign, set up in Governatorate Square, began on Thursday, October 22, and concludes this Saturday, October 24, at 1:00 p.m. Among the requested items are warm clothing, blankets, sleeping bags, canned food, towels, and sheets.
Marín de San Martín has thanked those participating in this initiative, both through the donation of material aid and through prayer. The archbishop expressed his hope that the Lord will soon grant the gift of peace.
The mission will include the transport of food, medicine, and other essential goods to communities affected by the conflict.
The almoner’s dispatch also follows Pope Leo XIV’s recent audience with Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church. During the meeting, the prelate thanked the Pope for his humanitarian efforts and conveyed his concern about the difficulties the population will face in the coming months, especially due to damage to the country’s energy infrastructure.
A new mission of the Apostolic Almonry in Ukraine
Luis Marín de San Martín, a Spanish Augustinian religious, was appointed papal almoner on March 12, when Leo XIV placed him at the head of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, succeeding Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, who was appointed Archbishop of Łódź, Poland.
His trip to Ukraine continues the humanitarian work carried out by the Apostolic Almonry since the beginning of the Russian invasion. During the pontificate of Francis, Krajewski undertook numerous missions to the country to deliver supplies, visit communities affected by the fighting, and convey the Pope’s closeness.
Among those initiatives was the delivery of four ambulances to war-torn areas in April 2025.
Marín de San Martín’s visit will be one of the first major international missions of his mandate at the head of papal charity. Over four days, the archbishop will travel to various Ukrainian towns to provide material assistance and accompany Catholic communities that continue to serve the population amid the conflict.