"To visit Ukrainian prisoners is my greatest desire," - Apostolic Nuncio

This was stated in an interview with Vatican News by Apostolic Nuncio in Ukraine Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas.

The Nuncio reported that while in Ukraine, he had the opportunity to communicate with Russian prisoners held here.

“However, I know that my colleague in Russia cannot visit Ukrainian prisoners, and none of the Church representatives can visit them, including Greek Catholic priests,” he noted.

“It is a very heavy burden for me: to know that people are in such difficult conditions, also remembering Jesus' commandment - visit your brother who is in prison - which is simply impossible to fulfill. Moreover, in what conditions are they? ” added the archbishop.

The Apostolic Nuncio pointed out that, as former prisoners have told him, the hardest thing is to lose hope, to lose faith.

“I know that for them, faith is almost the only thing left, and I would like to just touch this faith, support it, because otherwise their suffering remains terrible, and there is no opportunity to visit them,” emphasized the hierarch.

Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas also highly appreciated the Pope's call for an exchange of all for all, made during the “Urbi et Orbi” address.

“And when the Pope appeals for a total exchange of prisoners, this is not just words, but a call that concerns many lives, thousands of people who cannot celebrate Easter, including two Greek Catholic priests who were taken from Berdyansk, not far from Zaporizhzhia. So my thoughts are even more with them, even more dedicated to them: these two priests do not even have the opportunity to celebrate Easter. Therefore, this is indeed a call of great humanitarian character, with which the Pope addresses everyone, believers and non-believers alike. It is also a call to pray that the Lord may open the hearts of those who bear political responsibility so that this exchange of prisoners may indeed take place,” emphasized the nuncio.