Peeling vegetables in Ukraine under the auspices of Just War Theory: a young Catholic volunteer reflects

Towards the end of last year, I made the decision to travel to Ukraine to spend over a week in the city of Lviv to help with the Ukrainian war effort. 

Inspired by the Catholic Just War doctrine, I felt compelled to actively help Ukraine rather than simply donating from back home in the UK. I wanted to experience the country itself and meet local Ukrainians to hear their own experiences of the war. Being a relatively fit 24-year-old Catholic man, I felt I was in a position to take this opportunity, and that I might regret it if I did otherwise.

I originally learned about Just War Theory in school in both my Religious Education and Philosophy classes. I believe Ukraine is fighting a just war as they have a just cause, of independence and self determination, and that Russia is fighting an unjust war since they are not fighting with proportionality, and are committing war crimes in Ukraine.

Before my journey to Lviv, I made sure to do the necessary research. Lviv is viewed as a relatively “safe city” amid the cities of war-torn Ukraine. It is the westernmost city in the country – so the furthest from the front lines – and where many Ukrainians arrive seeking refuge from the eastern part of the country. Despite this, the city has come under fire during the Russian invasion, the worst attack occurring on 6 July 2023, which killed 10 civilians and injured 48. 

My journey began by flying from Luton to Krakow, Poland, accompanied by my friend Rio. I visited Krakow in 2019 whilst in university and I was looking forward to returning to the city. Once we arrived in Krakow, we took a taxi from the airport to our hostel in the city centre. Our driver was surprised to learn that we were going to Lviv, or, as he referred to the city, Lwów, which is how it was known when it was part of Poland until World War II. The city remains in the hearts of many Poles to this day. 

Once in central Krakow, we spent the evening walking through the beautiful Old Town centre. I have seen so many nuns and friars in public! The next day, we took a train to the Polish city of Przemyśl near the Ukrainian border, before boarding a larger Ukrainian train to take us to Lviv. 

The train journey to Lviv was over three hours long, and included an hour’s stop at the border. An armed military border guard entered our carriage to check passports and asked us our purpose for travelling to Ukraine. 

During the wait at the border, I spoke with a Ukrainian woman in our carriage who had been living in Ireland. She explained sorrowfully how she was returning to Ukraine so she could travel to her home city of Dnipro, which has been severely affected by the war, to bring her mother to Ireland. 

We arrived in Lviv in the evening. It was surreal being in Ukraine, a country that has been in the news back home in the UK almost every day since the war began more than a year ago. After riding a tram into the city centre, we made our way to our hostel right by Rynok Square. A curfew was in effect, from midnight to 5am. By midnight, the streets were empty and devoid of any life or noise. 

I started volunteering at the Lviv Volunteer Kitchen. The kitchen has been in operation ever since Russian troops invaded the Crimea region in 2014, the job of its volunteers to make good quality meals to deliver to Ukrainian soldiers on the frontline. 

My time in the kitchen involved tiring yet rewarding work. My main role involved peeling and chopping up fruits and vegetables. A lot of potatoes, carrots and even pumpkins got chopped and peeled at my hands. I also had to help unload large batches of vegetables from delivery vans each day.

A hidden bonus was that we were treated to traditional food made by the Ukrainian ladies in the kitchen, which included a delicious bowl of warm borsch – much needed working in the cold weather.

There was a friendly and welcoming atmosphere amongst the volunteers, and a huge sense of camaraderie. The volunteers came from all corners of the world. It was fascinating to see so many people travel so far to Ukraine to help with the war effort. I enjoyed their company. 

Outside of volunteering, I managed to explore the city of Lviv itself. Christmas decorations were already going up in the city at the end of November. The people had reason to embrace the festivities. Both as a demonstration that life goes on, but also because for the first time since 1917, Christmas Day was officially designated as 25 December, after the government changed – as a snub to Russia – the date from the Orthodox Church observance of January 7.

Lviv is the historical and spiritual centre of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the largest of all the Eastern Catholic churches. It is also one of the few majority Catholic cities in primarily Orthodox Ukraine. The Catholic faith was visible whilst walking around the city: I noticed many Catholic statues in public, particularly of Our Lady. 

I was overjoyed to experience the majestic Byzantine Divine Liturgies and explore the various Greek Catholic churches in the city. The Saints Peter and Paul Garrison Church in the city centre was where I usually attended liturgies. A grand baroque church, it has been the centre of worship for members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces since 2011. The services themselves were well attended. Even on weekdays, the church was almost packed – suffice to say, an unfamiliar sight to me back in England. The church itself was adorned with decorative symbols of the ongoing war, such as national flags, camouflage nets and images of Ukrainian soldiers who died in battle. 

Despite being at war, the city was still thriving. Streets were filled with music and people walking about. In many ways, Lviv felt no different to being elsewhere in Europe. Like Krakow, Lviv brims with a plethora of awe-inspiring architectural buildings such as the Lviv Opera House, where I was privileged to attend the Ukrainian opera production Fox Mykyta. 

That said, the daunting air raid sirens which repeatedly went off during my stay in Lviv were an unfortunate reminder of the ongoing war. These were usually triggered by Russian MIG jets taking off from neighbouring Belarus, though thankfully none of the sirens led to any actual attacks during my stay. 

Since leaving Lviv, I’ve reflected a lot on my time there. I connected with so many wonderful people from across the globe and from across Ukraine. The resilience and positivity of local Ukrainians that have suffered so much in this war was particularly inspiring; how they have kept going, especially when times are so difficult. 

Lviv is not only a beautiful city but one which is infused with Western traditions and Ukrainian patriotism, a symbol of what a future Ukraine could look like. I hope and pray that this war ends soon, and that then more tourists feel safe to travel to Lviv to explore what this vibrant city has to offer. 

Despite working in the cold and having to persistently peel and cut vegetables, I had a clear sense of purpose to help the Ukrainian army, which kept me motivated. There is no question in my mind that it was worth travelling from England to Ukraine to volunteer, as it gave me a rich sense of what is happening in Ukraine, rather than simply hearing about it secondhand in the news.

Applying the Just War Theory and ending up peeling vegetables might seem a slightly ridiculous outcome for such lofty aims. I suppose it was rather anti-climatic, I can see that. But if this is what trying to live one’s Faith means – or what trying to embrace your values looks like – then I am not complaining. Being able to live my Catholic-inspired values and directly contribute to the Ukraine cause made this journey an unforgettable – and un-regretful – experience. 

Photo: People walk through the streets in Lviv as they take part in Christmas Eve celebration on 24 December 2023. (Photo by YURIY DYACHYSHYN/AFP via Getty Images.)