Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, papal almsgiver and prefect of the Dicastery for Charity, is making his fourth visit to Ukraine since the beginning of the open war. On September 19, he visited Izium, where hundreds of people were killed, and now exhumations are taking place.
"A place where the bodies of tortured people killed out of hatred are being exhumed!" this is how Cardinal commented on what he saw in Izium. His review was posted on the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kharkiv-Zaporizhia website.
"It is a very difficult emotional moment, although I know this war always brings deadly victims. But what truly impressed me about Izium were the people: 50 soldiers, policemen, and young people who were exhuming these bodies with deep respect and in perfect silence. They were doing it filled with prayer; I would say it was a Holy Mass after the Holy Mass. It was as if they were digging up their closest ones. This really hurt me because, despite all the danger of rocket attacks that are taking place there, they showed what is most beautiful: great respect for the deceased. I was very touched by this because the war is brutal and cruel, and they showed what is most beautiful in a person: great respect for the dignity of a person. Because this is how love for one's neighbor is expressed. This day was very evangelical because we paid tribute to the people who died tragically. There was no hatred in us, no desire for revenge on those who did it. There was only a great desire to bury these people with dignity."
Photo: Bishop Pavlo Goncharuk