Mercies of Peace, after the West Bank, here is the first Ukrainian headquarters

The Misericordie d'Italia's commitment to building peace networks continues. This commitment is spearheaded by President Domenico Giani , who, following the successful mission to the West Bank earlier this month, with the PA's authorization to establish a Misericordie in those territories, has announced the opening of its first Ukrainian office, in Ivano-Frankivsk.

The mission, led by President Giani himself, has just concluded. He was joined by Gionata Fatichenti , director of the Emergency Area, and Arianna Sgariboldi , the person responsible for providing assistance to the population.

"This city in western Ukraine," explains a statement from the Confederation, "scarred by war yet brimming with vital energy, is today a point of reference for welcoming displaced persons, caring for the wounded, and remembering the fallen. It is here that the first Misericordia in Ukraine took root, born thanks to the initiative of the Archdiocese and two priests, Father Ivan and Father Vitali , under the guidance of the city's Metropolitan Bishop. From the beginning, this organization chose to identify with the values ​​and symbols of the Misericordia d'Italia—also encouraged by the support of Marco Iazzolino of the Missione Calcutta association—who, after a training program in Italy that culminated with the young volunteers' participation in the Youth Jubilee, officially requested membership in the Confederation."

During the visit, the delegation met with the Governor of the Region, Svitlana Onyshchuk , who expressed gratitude for the closeness shown in such a difficult time, and Mayor Ruslan Marzynkiv , who recognized the experience of Ivano-Frankivsk as a concrete sign of hope.

"A particularly touching moment," the note continues, "was the meeting with the volunteers of the Misericordia of Ivano-Frankivsk, which opened with a prayer and the memory of Giulia Santoni , Gianni Trappolini and Franco Lovari , victims of the tragic accident involving an ambulance of the Misericordia of Terranuova Bracciolini last August 4th."

The delegation also visited the San Luca Clinic, founded in 2014 and now a leading provider of healthcare and rehabilitation. In the hospital chapel, where relics of saints are kept, President Giani "announced the gift of the relics of Saint John Paul II, which will be welcomed as a sign of spirituality and hope."

The mission also included visits to the "Children of Jesus" community, which supports children and young people with disabilities; the Sant'Egidio community with the School for Peace, along with Ivan Kharuk and Olya Makar ; and the Rdin Foundation, along with Mariana Romaniak . These organizations concretely demonstrate the value of proximity. In particular, the Ridni Foundation has collaborated with the Misericordie since the beginning to advance projects supporting the most vulnerable populations. A moment of reflection was also held on the Viale degli Eroi, together with the families of the fallen, to convey the Movement's closeness and to preserve their memory.

"The meeting with Archbishop and Metropolitan Volodymyr Viytyshyn , who blessed the birth of Misericordie in Ukraine and expressed his hope that the yellow-cyan model might spread throughout the country as an example of a Church close to the most vulnerable," the Misericordie d'Italia explained. The priests and the metropolitan bishop also expressed their desire that the Jubilee icon, which is being distributed to Misericordie throughout Italy, might reach Ivano-Frankivsk before the end of the Jubilee Year.

"I return with a heart filled with emotion and gratitude," President Giani said at the end of the mission. "The birth of the first Misericordia in Ukraine, precisely in Ivano-Frankivsk, is a source of great satisfaction for us: a seed patiently planted in recent months, when we welcomed the young people of this city into our communities and watched them journey with us toward the Jubilee, has now sprouted and is bearing fruit. In a land marked by suffering, a sign of hope comes to life that speaks the universal language of Mercy. It is the Gospel translated into daily gestures of closeness and love."

The opening photo, from the Misericordie d'Italia press office, like the others in this article, features volunteers from the new Ukrainian confraternity. President Giani can be seen in the center, wearing a blue shirt.

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• war in Ukraine
• Ukraine