Francisco and his friendship with a young Ukrainian: “Let someone say I do not like Ukraine.”

Salvator Cinosio – Vatican City

Before the meeting there was a confrontation. Nearly 80 cards of spiritual support during the war, before the 25th meeting in Santa Marta, before establishing a sub -relationship and reaching a trust point such as screaming – in the face of criticism he received in Ukraine by some of his expressions – “You have no right in Ukran,”. Indeed, in fact, there was, in fact, in fact, there was, in fact, in fact, there was, in reality. He is a young man, a small town on the shores of Dnieper, who shares his testimony with the Vatican media, these days of pain for the death of the Pope, as he says, everything he wants is honoring who was a father and evidence in the darkest time to his country.

When the great invasion of Ukraine began, Pope Francis was written by the children, through the Argentine sponsor, Alejandro, an old friend from Buenos Aires. Words of fear, loss, and prayer for peace … shortly after the Pope’s statements about the war. They harm me. Not because I want to harm, but because, in Ukraine, we lived in the center of pain. Sometimes even a good word, if not a context, can be cut like a knife. I wrote a sincere, even difficult message, which concluded: “Ukraine has a question of Pedro to you: Simon, Ibn John, do you love me?” I did not expect an answer. I didn’t expect that. Who needs another voice from a country where everyone screams? But the Pope answered the next day. Simply, without more: «Come. I want you to tell me personally. I need to hear from you. ”

The right and the duty of defense

Dennis, son of a Protestant family and a former student of the Ukrainian Catholic University, went to Santa Marta. There was, not without a preliminary fear, but also the curiosity of the meeting that the Pope who always looked “a sponsor was never afraid to hear even those who treated him with pain and accusations.”

Thus our story started. It was not an audience, but the meeting between the wound and the heart was looking for dialogue. On that day, I arrived with a small group: I, my teacher, Miroslav Marinovich (former political prisoner of Julaj), Reverend Alejandro and some friends. We do not carry anything with us except for hope to listen. We greeted the Pope and devoted an hour and a half. But the most important was not time, but the way he heard. Without defending himself. Without justifying yourself. He listened, tilted forward, remembers names, asks questions, and searches for clarifications. He told us about one of his professors, the blessed Vladica Chamil, a Ukrainian priest who died in the detention camp because he did not give up being a sponsor of all, even his enemies. On that occasion, it declared a simple phrase, but for me it is very important: “The Ukrainians have no right, but also to defend themselves. Because those who do not defend themselves are about to commit suicide. ”

Attention to soldiers, prisoners, widows and children.

With the youth of Dennis, his brothers re -named Francisco as “Protestant Ouna”, the story continued even after that. “Give me your address. The Pope said, “I will write to you.”

I told him what was happening in the foreground, the stories of soldiers, prisoners, priests, widows and children told him. And remember … remember the names. I was asking them. In one of the messages he wrote to: “How is Jennadi?” (Ukrainian military priest). How do you feel? And these children? Are they all alive after the bombings?

Dennis delivers some gifts to Pope Francis

Cross the cross

In addition to the messages received between Francisco and this “dear”, as it was called, there were 25 meetings in the Vatican. They have never announced, they only happened to listen to each other: the story of Dennis and the stories of a people in the war that he told him, the words of the priest who was the father of everyone. “A real, silent and meaningful presence.”

When I was angry – the anger of those who see children die every day, from which he sees destroyed houses, hopes were shattered – I wrote to him. It is not always in moderation, and sometimes with hardness and despair. I always answered: “Do not wear the cross on your own. He even needed Simon, ”repeated several times. As if I knew I would fall again, and I would like to leave this paint of pain. In these words, I found the power to stay. I remember that one of our conversations is well. I was able to see how tired me.

I am wrong, but you don’t have the right to say I do not like Ukraine.

Another phrase will not forget the Deniz Collea. It was the time when many in Ukraine strongly criticized Pope Francis for some of his statements. I met him and said: “In Ukraine there are many injured people. Many say you don’t love us. He simply answered:

You can say that I am a sinner. You will be right. But you do not have the right to say that I do not like Ukraine.

I could not silence the fact that war is evil. These words may seem about peace, if they are not well explained, like a crime for those who die. I went to this meeting as a man who was suffering. I said: “Holiness, even a good word can become a wound if it is not explained to a person screaming with pain. Even the best intentions need clarity, when it comes to war. ” He looked at Al Ain and said: “Thank you for telling me. Maybe you were wrong. If necessary, come back. Let’s talk about this again. I want to understand.”

Pain of cruelty towards people

Sometimes it was the same Pope who took the initiative and contacted the boy. He did this when he saw pictures of the torture suffered by Ukrainian soldiers. It is terrible. This is by judgment … but they are not only witnesses to sacrifice. “They are witnesses to the resurrection,” says Deniz.

Cruelty did not make it difficult. On the contrary, he remained nice, able to listen, to remember, to pray for people who may never know. I think this was exactly his true response to the war: not with justifications, not with the theory, but with the sympathy that does not give up. With love that is not afraid to approach wounds. I saw a man who was really trying to be soon. I also saw how many times, in a harsh and intentional way, his words were taken from the context. How was the image of the Pope built indifferent, without hearing what he really said

A meeting in Casa Santa Marta

Good works in silence

The Pope did not stop providing material support for widows, orphans, former prisoners and wounded. I said: “Maybe we should tell these things, people know.” He smiled and answered: “Good deeds need silence.”

Not only focused on appeals and data; He was concerned about real people. Faces. Stories. Women who lost their husbands. Children without parents. Those who returned from prison. Often I saw his feelings when he told him the stories of war. But also hope in his eyes when he talked about the courage of volunteers, from the doctors, from the soldiers who, despite everything, did not lose their humanity.

A person knows how to listen

This is the picture that remains for Denz now after Pope Francis is no longer with us: “I feel like I am an orphan,” admitting, “as a person lost a friend who was not afraid of my tears, my anger, and my questions. Often, I think about his letters, the recommendation:“ I pray for you. Also pray for me. “From time to time, instinctively, the phone was raised to write, as was always the case when the pain was severe.

I miss him. a lot. But with this pain, I am deeply grateful. Glory to the presence of someone who knows how to listen to me, and he was close to me even when I had no answers to give me.