Ukraine: Cardinal Parolin to represent Pope at Marian shrine

Icon of Holy Virgin of Berdychiv. 17-18th c. Wiki image

Source: Vatican News

Cardinal Pietro Parolin will represent Pope Francis in celebrations marking the conclusion of a pilgrimage by Latin-Rite Ukrainian Catholics to the Marian Shrine of Berdychiv in northern Ukraine on 21 July.

Confirmation of Cardinal Parolin's commission, already announced earlier this year, came in a formal Letter in Latin, naming the Vatican Secretary of State as Pontifical Legate for the event. The Holy Father's Letter also named two priests - Fr Ruslan Mykhalkiv, rector of the seminary of the Kyiv-Zhytomir diocese; and Fr Andriy Lehovich, secretary to the Metropolitan Archbishop of Lviv of the Latins - to accompany Cardinal Parolin in his mission.

Although Berdychiv was formally designated a national shrine only in 2011, Pope Francis in his Letter recalls the centuries-old tradition of pilgrimages to the Marian sanctuary.

In 1630, the governor of Kyiv, Yanush Tyshkevych founded a monastery there in gratitude for the liberation from the Tatars and donated an icon of the Mother of God 'of the Snow,' painted in the 16th century. Devotion soon spread to the rest of the country, with pilgrims eager to come to kneel before the miraculous effigy of Our Lady.

Today, more than ever, in this "sad and mournful period of war violence," Ukraine is calling on the Virgin for a special grace, the grace of peace.

Pope Francis writes to Cardinal Parolin: "You will encourage all participants in this event to unceasingly implore the Queen of Peace to put an end to war in Ukraine and in every part of the world, offering herself as an example of blessing among women to be imitated, since she is pleasing to God who humbles the proud and raises up the humble."

The Letter ends with the Pope's invitation to bring his blessing, but also "benevolence and closeness in this extremely difficult time for the beloved people of Ukraine."

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Read the full letter here: https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2024/07/13/240713b.html