ROMA (ITALPRESS) – The Children’s Hospital Jesus received the Order of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytskyi, a recognition given by the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church for humanitarian commitment and community service. The delivery took place at the headquarters of the Hospital of Rome-Gianicolo, during the visit of a Ukrainian delegation led by His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Head and Father of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, in the presence of the Ambassador of Ukraine to the Holy See, Andriy Yurash. The delegation met the President of the Child Jesus, Tiziano Onesti, the General Manager of the Hospital, Antonio Perno and the Health Director, Massimiliano Raponi. The recognition expresses the gratitude of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and of the Ukrainian people for the commitment of the Hospital to assist families, children and children from Ukraine from the beginning of the conflict.
From 2022 to today the Child Jesus welcomed and curated 3,974 Ukrainian patients, of which 1,084 only in 2026. A welfare activity that involved numerous medical and surgical specialties, from oncohematology to neurology, from neurorehabilitation to cardiology, to general pediatrics.
To receive the recognition, on behalf of the whole community of the Child Hospital Jesus, was President Tiziano Onesti: “I welcome him with extreme joy and not personal – he emphasized – because this recognition goes to doctors, nurses and all the health staff, religious and religious, and to those who, often far from the spotlight, make possible care: administration, cultural mediators, reception, logistics and transport, volunteers. What is recognized today is the work of all and makes us particularly proud, but above all reminds us of the deepest meaning of our mission: to be with each child who needs care, without distinction of origin, language or condition. In these years we have welcomed Ukrainian children and children and their families, trying to offer not only answers to their health needs, but also a place of care, listening and closeness at a time of great difficulty. Pediatric medicine knows no boundaries and solidarity, especially when it comes to children, it is a responsibility that we feel deeply. It is the same idea of the care of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytskyi, pastor of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church who, in Leopoli, at the beginning of the twentieth century, was patron and main supporter of Narodna Lichnytsia, the ‘Clinica del Popolo’, and offering free care to all, without distinction of faith or nationality. Accept those who suffer, before any other question. Just like the Child Jesus of Rome”.
In turn, His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk expressed deep gratitude to the Hospital and to all his staff for the extraordinary witness of Christian solidarity and love towards the Ukrainian people: “The Child Hospital Jesus does not only restore health to our children: he gives them a new life, renews faith in God’s mercy and returns hope and serenity for the future. To all the staff of the Hospital we want to say, on behalf of Ukraine: you are not only extraordinary professionals, but hands of God who hold his younger children in their suffering. As a Church, we wish to assure you of our prayers, so that they may accompany you in your service to our neighbour. This recognition is a sign of the gratitude of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and of the whole Ukrainian people for your generous and disinterested service, as well as an expression of gratitude to the Holy See for the concrete solidarity shown to the Ukrainian people.”.
Behind the numbers there are thousands of individual stories, complex care paths and families forced to leave their country to seek assistance. In addition to the work of doctors and nurses, the involvement of numerous professionalism and services of the Hospital: from orientation to linguistic mediation, from logistic support and to transport services to human and spiritual support, to accompany small patients and their parents throughout the course of care. To tell the meaning of this reception is also the letter of Viktoriya, mother of Oleksii, arrived to the Child Jesus two years ago with a diagnosis of serious oncological disease. After a long path of chemotherapy and radiotherapy and surgery lasted 7 hours, the boy could look back to the future. In thanking doctors, nurses and all the people who accompanied the family, Mom wrote: “BAMBINO GESUE is a name forever in our lives”.
The Order of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytskyi, established in 2018 by the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, is the highest honor conferred by the Head and Father of the Church. It is assigned to persons and institutions that stand out for exceptional merits in service to the Church and to the neighbor.
– Photo press office Children’s Hospital Jesus – IRCCS –
(ITALPRESS).
