The Pope will donate 6 mln euro to Donbass

Nearly 6 million euro will be transferred as a humanitarian aid for Christmas to over 2 million people in eastern regions of Ukraine on behalf of the Pope Francis, according to RIA News.

As it is said in the announcement of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum ("With a single heart”), the donation will go to the population of Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporozhye, Kharkov, and Dnepropetrovsk, irrespective of “religion, faith or ethnic origin.”

"This is about the first tranche in the amount of 6 million euro out of 12 million raised,” the text says.

"The Committee will finance 20 large-scale projects estimated up to 250 thousand euro and 39 “solidarity” initiatives in the amount of 20 thousand euro. The money will be distributed in cooperation with the Apostolic Nunciature to support the activity on food, housing, medicinal and hygienic help,” the message states.

The Pontifical Council reminds that fund-raising with a view to assisting the conflict-affected population of Ukraine was announced by the Pontific on April 24 this year, and an ad hoc committee was set up for this end.