Archbishop Marín de San Martín underlines the concrete closeness
of Leo XIV to those suffering from war in many countries around the world.
Two days ago a load of humanitarian aid left for Lebanon
Of Stefano Leszczynski
New humanitarian aid for the war-stricken Ukrainian population left today from the Greek-Catholic Basilica of Hagia Sophia in Rome. «This is the 150th truck that leaves from our basilica», explains the rector Don Marco Semehen with satisfaction. Many of the goods leaving for Ukraine were collected with the help of the Governorate of the Vatican City State and the Banco Farmaceutico Foundation. These are several pallets of medicines, mainly antibiotics and anti-inflammatories, intended for hospitals and to be distributed to the local population through Ukrainian volunteer networks. «We have collected everything that could be useful – explains Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín, Apostolic Almoner – in particular thinking about the needs of the most fragile, the sick and children. Above all, medicines, family packages, hygiene materials, isothermal blankets, food and lots of excellent quality clothes were donated for them.”
«For Ukraine, this continuity of aid arriving from the Vatican means a lot – says Don Marco Semehen -. First with Pope Francis and Cardinal Krajewski and now with Pope Leo XIV and the Almoner Marín de San Martín, it is reiterated that the Pope’s charity towards those suffering from war continues both with prayer and with concrete actions. Above all because as the war continued we noticed a decline in attention to the needs of the population.”
The Apostolic Almoner does not hide his emotion and satisfaction for this new humanitarian mission which is about to be completed. «The Church – explains the prelate – is not just theory, it is not just doctrine, but it is also practice, it is a lived Gospel, a testimony of charity. And seeing so much generous participation is a source of great joy for me.”
The involvement of many people in supporting the work that the Dicastery for the Service of Charity – Apostolic Charity coordinates and puts into practice represents the right reaction of Christians against the spread of hatred in the world. «The cry: peace, peace, peace! – says Monsignor Marín de San Martín – it must enter the minds and hearts of everyone. We still have a long way to go. We still need a real conversion.”
A Christian urgency witnessed not only by the suffering of the Ukrainian people, but also by the spread of war in many countries around the world. And it is with heart and prayer turned to the tormented Middle East that the Apostolic Charity organized the shipment of a load of humanitarian aid destined for Lebanon just two days ago. These are around 15 thousand packs of essential medicines for the population, aid which will be distributed through the Beirut nunciature. The drugs include antibiotics, antidiabetics, antihypertensives, anti-inflammatories, multivitamin supplements necessary for the most common acute and chronic pathologies.
«Our Dicastery – explains Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín – also deals with charity at an international level and operates through the nunciatures and local Churches. In undertaking this new task, I realized the importance of all our benefactors (in this case the Governorate and the Pharmaceutical Bank) and the need to network in order to better respond to people’s needs and be as effective as possible. But awareness-raising work is also very important to make as widely known as possible what the terrible reality of war is, the needs it generates and how we can concretely collaborate in helping those who suffer.”
