Zelenskyy presented the Pope with a painting about the massacre in Bucha

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented Pope Francis with the painting «Bucha Massacre: The Story of Marichka» to once again draw the world's attention to the atrocities suffered by the Ukrainian people.

This was reported by Vatican News.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in the Vatican on the morning of October 11 to meet with Pope Francis.

In his Telegram channel, Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that during the meeting they discussed the issue of returning Ukrainians home from captivity.

«We count on the assistance of the Holy See in the return home of Ukrainians captured by Russia,» the message reads.

Also during the meeting, Volodymyr Zelensky presented the pontiff with an oil painting «Massacre in Buch. The story of Marichka». The painting, created by Volodymyr Koziuk and Vladyslav Zadvorskyi, depicts the horrors in Buch through the eyes of the imaginary girl Marichka, who witnessed the torture and murder of her family by Russian soldiers.

«Marichka stood among the ruins of her life, among the ruins that were once her home. She knew that the world would never be the same again. But she also knew that in her heart burned an indomitable faith that Ukraine would be reborn, that truth and justice would win. This pain, these losses will never be forgotten, but they will become the basis for a new, stronger Ukraine,» this is how its authors described the picture.

Earlier, the Pope commented on the ban on religious organizations associated with Russia in Ukraine. He stated that no Christian church should be banned.