Messages of hope, drawings by young French people exhibited in Odessa

Jean-Benoît Harel – Vatican City

For almost three years, the Ukrainians of Odessa have lived to the rhythm of the war imposed by Russia on their own territory. While the end of the war does not seem to be approaching, allowing the faithful to maintain morale and hope is a challenge to which the Catholic Bishop of Odessa, Mgr Stanislav Chirokoradiouk, is dedicated. He is at the origin of an original exhibition in the cathedral of this city bordering the Black Sea: around thirty drawings by French children and young people with numerous messages of support.

Spiritual support

The idea was born not far from Saint-Malo, another port city, during a youth camp organized by the diocese of Rennes in the summer of 2024. The young people met, during this stay, a member of the Caridad association. , which provides aid to war-affected Ukrainians. The latter asked them to write and draw messages of support for Christians who, on the other side of Europe, suffer the ravages of war every day. And this, like Blessed Marcel Callo, a 20th century martyr from Rennes, deported by the Nazi regime because of his Catholic faith, who increased his encouragement to his loved ones in his correspondence.

«When I sent him photos of the drawings via the internet, the Bishop of Odessa was very touched and asked me to bring them to him to exhibit in the cathedral.», says Irénée de Poulpiquet, project manager for the Caridad association.

So he took the drawings in his suitcases and brought them to Ukraine at the beginning of January so that they could be exhibited for all the Ukrainians in Odessa to see. Mgr Stanislav Chirokoradiouk even wants the drawings to be exhibited in other cities affected by the war such as Kherson. “Children’s drawings are always things that touch the hearts of adults, and what touches them greatly is seeing that they are not forgotten and that we pray for them.», continues Irénée de Poulpiquet.

The risk of defeatism

Because defeatism sometimes shows on the faces of Ukrainians, particularly on those of children, who can no longer smile, he says. He cites pell-mell the growing cemeteries, where Ukrainian flags flourish, the story of a woman who abandoned the reconstruction of her house (“It’s no use, the Russians are coming“), another who no longer sleeps, traumatized by the fate of her loved ones or even these three children raised in an orphanage near Zhitomir. “Three left for the front, none returned», lamented the nun who took care of these boys for several years.

For three long years, the association based in Brittany has continued to help the diocese of Odessa through donations and food aid: solidarity between Christians on both sides of the European continent, in order to keep the flame burning. hope.