Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine celebrated Easter in war-torn Donetsk

Around 100 Catholics gathered for the Easter morning mass in Donetsk's only Catholic church, named after Saint Joseph.

The Vatican envoy to Ukraine archbishop Claudio Gugerotti on Easter Sunday held services in the war-torn Donetsk (city in the east of Ukraine occupied by the pro-Russian militants), bringing a message of support from Pope Francis. He stayed in the city from the Holy Friday till Easter Sunday.

Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti was on a "mission of reconciliation" to the region which has been torn apart by almost two years of conflict between pro-Russian rebels and government forces, Auxiliary Bishop Jan Sobilo said.

Archbishop Claudio came to Donetsk on a special request of Pope Francis. The pontiff asked his envoy "to pass on a message that he is concerned and is praying and thinking how to help the people here," the bishop of Kharkiv-Zaporizhia in eastern Ukraine, who accompanied Gugerotti, told AFP.

The papal nuncio was on his first visit to the east of the former Soviet state since the insurgency erupted in April 2014 following the ouster of a pro-Russian regime in Kiev and Moscow's subsequent annexation of Crimea. - See more at:

Around 100 Catholics gathered for the Easter morning mass in Donetsk's only Catholic church, named after Saint Joseph. 40 people stayed for the night vigil and papal nuncio was able to speak with people. He also visited the Ukrainian Greek Catholic cathedral in Donetsk, bishop Stepan Maniok was forced to leave the city.