Pope Francis is sending aid to migrants in Lithuania, the Vatican press office announced on Saturday, February 12, 2022.

The Holy Father, through the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, has sent a contribution of 50,000 euros to Caritas Vilnius, Lithuania, to support its activities in support of migrants on Lithuania’s eastern border.

In cooperation with the Apostolic Nunciature in Lithuania, this sum will be used to provide assistance and buy medicines, food products, and warm clothes to alleviate the harsh living conditions to which the people are subjected in this cold winter, which have unfortunately been exacerbated by the continuing pandemic crisis.

This support is an immediate expression of the feeling of spiritual closeness and paternal encouragement that Pope Francis has repeatedly expressed, during the Sunday Angelus at the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022, towards migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers in that area.

Thousands of migrants streamed from Belarus into Lithuania, Poland, and Latvia in the summer of 2021, sparking a renewed migration crisis, according to Vatican News. The European Union accused Belarus’ president of orchestrating the migrant influx in retaliation for EU sanctions. Lithuania threw up a fence along its Belarus border and opened hastily-constructed reception centers for migrants. Most hail from Middle Eastern and African nations and many have been stuck for months in the reception centers.

Lithuania’s parliament passed a law in July 2021 that allowed asylum seekers to be detained for up to six months, which was later extended for up to a year. The law also allows migrants to be deported while their asylum appeal is being considered. Reports have emerged from the migrant camps of harsh treatment at the hands of military personnel. Asylum seekers complain of poor hygienic conditions, including discolored water, very little soap, and poor heating.

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