(ANS – Rome – October 28, 2026) – On the evening of October 27, Fr. Fabio Attard, Rector Major of the Salesians of Don Bosco, welcomed a Ukrainian delegation of approximately 50 people to Salesian Headquarters in Rome. The group included numerous war veterans who had undergone amputations and were accompanied and assisted by the Salesians.
Pokrova AMP
The delegation is part of Pokrova AMP, the first amputee soccer team founded in Ukraine in 2023 at the Don Bosco Salesian Center in Lviv. Many of its players are former soldiers who have undergone amputations as a result of the war.
Through soccer, these men have been able to begin a journey of rehabilitation, regain confidence in their abilities, and rediscover the value of belonging to a community. Today, approximately 45 players participate in the team’s activities, which have also helped inspire other sporting initiatives. Several amputee soccer teams have since been established throughout Ukraine, bringing together hundreds of young people.
Amputee Football Champions League
After winning the national championship in 2025 and 2026, Pokrova AMP competed in the Amputee Football Champions League, held in Fano from October 23–25, 2026, against some of Europe’s top teams.
However, the trip to Italy was about more than sports. It was also conceived as a pilgrimage of hope, providing an opportunity to share the athletes’ testimonies and meet communities willing to express their solidarity with the Ukrainian people.
In Rome, Fr. Attard showed the guests around Salesian Headquarters and the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, sharing their history and explaining the significance of Mary Help of Christians in the life and mission of the Congregation.
Later, in the Chapel of the Good Shepherd, several participants shared their personal experiences. Their testimonies were translated by Fr. Mykhaylo Chaban, Superior of the Mary Help of Christians Vice-Province of Ukraine (Byzantine Rite).
Preserving Hope
Addressing the group, Fr. Attard emphasized the importance of keeping hope alive. He reminded those present that the commitment to people who suffer is not simply an act of charity but a duty and a responsibility.
Solidarity with the most vulnerable, especially in countries affected by war, is an essential part of the Salesian mission.
As a gesture of solidarity, the Rector Major presented each participant with a commemorative image featuring a medal of Don Bosco and Mary Help of Christians. The gathering concluded with a moment of prayer and blessing, during which the Marian prayer Bogorodice Divo was recited in Ukrainian.
On behalf of the players, team captain Valentyn Osovskyi expressed his gratitude to the Salesians for their guidance, support, and the opportunities made possible through soccer.
Pokrova AMP represents much more than a sports team. It is a concrete expression of the Salesian mission in Ukraine, which today also reaches out to men wounded by war, accompanying them on their journey toward rehabilitation and social reintegration.
During their trip, the delegation also stopped in Bologna, where they had the opportunity to meet Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi, Archbishop of Bologna and President of the Italian Bishops’ Conference.
The pilgrimage will continue on October 28 with attendance at Pope Leo XIV’s General Audience at the Vatican. This will provide an opportunity to present the Holy Father with the veterans’ testimonies and share the Ukrainian people’s desire for peace.
The delegation will then travel to Turin, to Valdocco, the birthplace of Don Bosco’s mission. A symbolic soccer match is scheduled between the two Pokrova teams, winners of Ukraine’s First and Second Leagues, respectively, in amputee soccer.
