These seven girls have lost their parents in the war in Ukraine. They are between 6 and 19 years old, and are from Kharkov.
One of them, Veronika, almost died when a fragment of a Russian bomb nearly pierced her heart.
This is the scar left by the attack. She gave the pope a doll she made in a bunker. It is embedded with the splinter that almost left her lifeless.
The young woman survived the attack thanks to the care she received in Milan through the mediation of Cardinal Zuppi, the Pope's special envoy for Ukraine.
And for tender moments, the message of this girl…
Pope Francis, you are the grandfather of us all. Protect us. If you can, stop this war. I love you so much.
The meeting took place thanks to the Living Memory Association, which seeks to bring the testimonies of people who have lived through the horrors of conflict closer to young people
JH
