Basilian Sister Lucia Murashko, who serves just miles from the frontlines of Russia’s war on Ukraine, has a message for Pope Leo XIV:
“Thank you for understanding us and supporting us. You are brave to speak loudly (about) the truth, the reality, that we live in.”
And she has another message as well: “Come to us.”
Sister Lucia spoke with OSV News May 16 from her monastery in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, where she and two fellow Basilian sisters have remained throughout Russia’s full-scale invasion, providing humanitarian and spiritual aid to civilians and military personnel alike.
The surrounding region, also named Zaporizhzhia, is partially under Russian control, with occupation officials banning the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus and Caritas — the international humanitarian aid network of the universal Catholic Church.
Two UGCC priests, Father Ivan Levitsky and Father Bohdan Geleta, were abducted from their former Zaporizhzhia region parishes and released through Vatican mediation in June 2024, after 18 months of captivity and torture.
An apostolic visit to Ukraine by Pope Leo, “even if it seems very dangerous, it’s like giving us strength to continue praying for peace and for the victory,” said Sister Lucia. “And it gives us hope and joy in the heart that we are not alone, that someone thinks about us and stands with us (at) our side, protecting us.”
Pope Leo’s presence in Ukraine “would be a great sign of God’s protection” and “a great sign of solidarity,” she said.
Sister Lucia added that even in the early days of his papacy, Pope Leo has managed to lift the hearts of Ukrainians.
“We are already very happy, because … he clearly named who is the victim, who is the aggressor in our situation” — a message that “gave us hope that … the pope understands Ukraine and wants to support us,” said Sister Lucia.
As Russia’s full-scale invasion — launched in 2022, and continuing attacks initiated in 2014 — drags on, Sister Lucia lamented the fatigue within the international community regarding Ukraine’s struggle to defend its sovereignty.
“One boy from Italy told me, ‘Oh, we are tired of hearing about the war in Ukraine,'” she recalled. “We feel like people try to forget about our pain and suffering.”
But, she said, “the most dangerous thing for the world is to forget that other people suffer.”
When “people do not want to hear about the suffering of others … they close their hearts, and the ears of their hearts,” said Sister Lucia. “Please do not forget about your neighbors, and what your God says: ‘What you do for the least of these, you do for me.’ Remember that someone suffers on the other side of the world.”
The Zaporizhzhia Basilians — who have not only remained in that city throughout Russia’s full-scale invasion, but regularly distribute aid in frontline areas — know that suffering all too well, and have more than once feared for their own lives.
In December, they along with some 80 children narrowly avoided being killed in a deadly Dec. 6 strike by Russia as they celebrated a liturgy marking the feast of St. Nicholas. At least 10 area residents were slain and more than 20 wounded.
Lately, Russian drones have been “so many and so loud” over Zaporizhzhia, with the weapons sounding as if “they are right under our roof,” said Sister Lucia.
The experience has been particularly unnerving despite the hundreds of Russian attacks that have left Ukrainians grimly accustomed to the lethal rhythms of war.
With air alerts constantly sounding, “normally we do not react to these attacks,” Sister Lucia explained. “When you hear the explosion, you kind of feel relief … it (the strike) happened already, so the danger has passed.”
But now, “you hear another and another and another (explosion),” she said. “Last time, they (the sisters) gathered in the corridor, which is safer — between two walls without windows. They sat there in the corridor praying. They were afraid.”
Sister Lucia admitted, “I am sometimes so tired that I do not react to the sirens or explosions.”
One strike, which was “very close to our building,” shattered windows at nearby residences, wounding one of the young adults to whom the sisters provide pastoral support, said Sister Lucia.
Still, Sister Lucia and the Zaporizhzhia Basilians — who along with the other members of their order received Catholic Extension’s 2023 Lumen Christi award for bringing the light of Christ to the darkness to war — remain undaunted.
“Life is flourishing here,” she said. “Even if we are sometimes facing the reality of death, we are still alive and work hard.”
After some difficulty, the sisters and a priest managed to reach villagers waiting for their traditional Paska, or Easter bread, to be blessed in their traditional baskets, she said.
“They were crying, because they said three years had already passed since they had blessed baskets,” Sister Lucia said. “It was very touching. We sang for them and we also brought them our Paska bread and fruits and vegetables for them.”
Asked what they needed most, the grateful villagers implored her “to bring them food especially for cats and dogs,” said Sister Lucia. “They asked about the food for the animals more than for themselves.”
She said the same selflessness was evident in a wounded Ukrainian soldier who had been evacuated to a medical stabilization unit at which her friend Halyna volunteers.
The soldier, who was missing an arm, apologized to Halyna for not having bathed or changed his uniform in 56 days on the frontline, said Sister Lucia.
“They were taking care of him, and said, ‘I’m sorry, I smell bad,'” she said.
If she met Pope Leo in person, “I should kiss his hand first,” said Sister Lucia. “And then I would say, ‘Thank you. Welcome to Ukraine.'”
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