The Pope Responded to the Humanitarian Mission in Oleshky
On Sunday, November 1, Pope Leo XIV welcomed the successful completion of the humanitarian mission for the civilian population of Oleshky in the Kherson region. He expressed hope that the cooperation that made this aid possible would foster dialogue between the parties and lead to new initiatives for peace.
The pontiff mentioned the humanitarian mission after Sunday prayers in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. He emphasized that the aid provided to the residents of Oleshky was an important humanitarian step and expressed hope that the agreements between the parties would continue. “A humanitarian mission was carried out in recent days to assist the civilian population of the city of Oleshky. I hope that the cooperation between the parties—which made this necessary humanitarian gesture possible—will foster a greater willingness to engage in dialogue and lead to new concrete initiatives in the service of peace,” said Leo XIV.
The Pope also called on the faithful to pray for people suffering from wars in various parts of the world. He suggested entrusting their fate to the intercession of the Virgin Mary—Queen of Peace—as well as to all the saints. “Let us entrust to Mary, Queen of Peace, and to all the saints, those who are suffering from wars in every part of the world,” added the pontiff.
In this way, Leo XIV not only welcomed the humanitarian mission in Oleshky but also expressed hope that the agreement reached through cooperation would serve as a catalyst for further steps toward dialogue and peace. Vatican News reported on the Pope’s statement.
The fourth and final plane carrying Ukrainian citizens evacuated from Oleshky in the Kherson region landed in Gomel, Belarus. In just a few hours, the evacuees, along with the Ukrainian delegation, are expected to arrive on Ukrainian territory.
Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets reported on October 30 that all residents of Oleshky who wished to leave for territory controlled by Ukraine were able to take advantage of the evacuation, and humanitarian aid was delivered to those who remained.
Separately, the ombudsman noted that the ceasefire has been in effect for over 87 hours. The Ukrainian delegation is returning home.
As a reminder, 17 buses carrying residents of Oleshky are heading to Ukraine, while the number heading to Russia is several times smaller.
