Bishop Vitaliy Kryvytskyi, 54, Auxiliary Bishop of the Kyiv-Zhytomyr Diocese, speaks fluent Polish. During a visit to Rome, he spoke to the Polish Section of Vatican News about the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, public morale and relief efforts generously supported by large numbers of Poles, including through Caritas Poland.

The Situation in Kyiv

Bishop Kryvytskyi comes from a Polish family: his father was born into the Krzywicki family and his mother into the Kamiński family. Six years ago, Pope Francis appointed him bishop.

Asked about the situation in Kyiv, where he resides, he says the city has become increasingly dangerous as Russian air raids and bombardments intensify.

“Our air defences are struggling to cope. Recently, Russia attacked Kyiv with 20 ballistic missiles, and not a single one was intercepted,” the bishop says. “This means that today they could strike our strategic facilities and cripple our energy infrastructure or water supply.”

The consequences could be severe: power outages, a lack of running water and a breakdown of sewage systems. In practice, a city of four million people could become uninhabitable.

“Of course, our primary hope is in God, but we are also doing everything we can to hold on. This is a time of great trial. Last winter was difficult, but somehow we managed to get through it.”

Getting Used to the Unthinkable

Asked whether it is still possible to lead a relatively normal life under such conditions, Bishop Kryvytskyi observes that people can get used to almost anything.

“When it comes to the constant air-raid alerts and having to go down to shelters, people have grown accustomed to them,” he says. Russian attacks continue, and the alerts seem almost endless.

“People joke that the breaks between air-raid alerts are as short as television commercial breaks. You barely have time to make a cup of tea.”

But the situation remains difficult. People are exhausted.
“I think it is harder for those who do not believe. They do not have the support of God that believers find in their faith,” he says.

How Did Ukraine Survive Last Winter?

“It was an exceptional winter, with temperatures dropping to around minus 30 degrees Celsius. Homes were left without heating, electricity, running water or sewage services. It was freezing outside and freezing inside. There was nowhere to warm up, and you could not even make a hot cup of tea,” the bishop recalls.

In response, so-called Points of Invincibility were set up around residential buildings, often in or near shelters. People could warm up, charge their phones and spend time together.

“We established similar centres at our churches. We called them ‘Points of Light and Hope’. People could do their laundry, get some sleep or cook a meal there. We saw people helping one another.”

The Church also opened community kitchens in Kyiv and Zhytomyr. They became places where people could meet and exchange practical information.

The Nation’s Spirit

Asked about public morale and the determination to resist the aggressor, Bishop Kryvytskyi says the situation varies.
“Some people find new strength to carry on fighting every day. Others are breaking down, including soldiers and veterans. That is why psychological and spiritual support is so important.”

He jokes that priests have a tendency to offer good advice. “I tell them: these are adults who have been through a great deal. They do not really need advice. They need someone to listen to them. And often, they need love, too.”
Everyone experiences the war differently, he explains.

“Suddenly, people who seemed strong become vulnerable. Their emotions overwhelm them, and they start to cry. They can no longer see a way out.”

Does War Bring People Closer to God?

Asked whether the war has brought Ukrainians closer to God and the Church, Bishop Kryvytskyi cautions against oversimplification.

“We sometimes hear people say that there are no unbelievers on the front line. That is not true. Some people have lost their faith during the war. After everything they have been through, they ask themselves: ‘What if there is no God?’ Others, however, have found faith precisely because of the war.”

He gives the example of couples who had lived together for years without marrying and are now coming forward in large numbers to get married.

They come with their children. In this way, entire families enter into a life of sanctifying grace and turn towards God.”
He also recalls a woman who told him that she had never prayed as intensely as when she was crossing a minefield, because it was the only way to reach safety.

“Nothing happened to her. We see many such things during the war,” the bishop says.

Humanitarian Aid

Speaking about the Church’s relief efforts, Bishop Kryvytskyi says that, like any form of assistance, they give people hope and help them persevere.

He expresses his gratitude for the support extended to his diocese by the Catholic dioceses of Katowice and Sosnowiec. Children who have to continue their education remotely benefited from the assistance and received tablets.

He also highlights the invaluable contribution of Caritas Poland, particularly its Family to Family programme, which has reached a very large number of people.

“We knew that this help was not coming from large organisations or the state, but from individual Polish families. In other words, real people were helping other real people,” the bishop recalls.

Gratitude to the Polish People

“Every time we distribute this aid, we ask people to thank God, in whatever way they can, for those who have helped them. We tell them: ‘Give thanks for your benefactors. Perhaps they, too, are going through difficulties. You can repay them with your prayers.’ And they do pray for them. This is truly an example of evangelisation for the Church,” Bishop Kryvytskyi says.
He adds that Ukrainians have long felt, and continue to feel, profound gratitude towards the Polish Church and the Polish people for their open hearts and open homes.

“This gratitude remains deep within us, regardless of what politicians and the media in our two countries may be saying today.”

At a time of political disagreements, he concludes, the Church’s task is to build and nurture living Christian relationships within its communities.

By Family News Service / Piotr Kowalczuk