Pope Francis is helping Ukraine in a big way by sending four ambulances to be used in the war zones. These ambulances are part of his ongoing support to help the country during its tough war with Russia.
Since February 2022, when the war started, Pope Francis has already sent:
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Three ambulances
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A hospital van
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Ultrasound machines for hospitals
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Generators, food, and medicine
The Vatican (where the pope lives) announced on Monday that Pope Francis has decided to send four more ambulances to Ukraine. These ambulances will have all the medical equipment needed to save people’s lives in areas hit by the war.
What’s Special About This Donation?
The Vatican explained that the ambulances would have the Vatican coat of arms (a special symbol) on them. This shows the world that the Pope is helping.
In a statement, the Vatican said that Pope Francis wanted to show “closeness” to the people of Ukraine, especially during Easter. Easter is a time when Christians celebrate new life and hope, and the pope wanted to share this hope with the people in Ukraine, who have been suffering from the war for three years.
Pope’s Ongoing Support
Even though Pope Francis has repeatedly asked for the war to stop, the fighting continues. He has not been able to convince the leaders of Russia and Ukraine to agree on a ceasefire (a stop to the fighting).
But Pope Francis has helped in other ways. The Vatican has helped with prisoner exchanges between the two countries, helping people who were captured during the war to be freed.
Pope’s Health
Pope Francis, who is 88 years old, was in the hospital for five weeks earlier this year because he was sick with pneumonia (a lung infection). He returned to the Vatican on March 23 to continue recovering.
