Pope Francis was a 'Secret Santa' for Ukraine: what the pontiff gifted to the military.

The purchase of drones for the Armed Forces of Ukraine with funds from the now-late Pope Francis turned out to be real. This was reported by Glavkom, citing journalist Oleksandr Zinchenko.In December 2023, the 93rd brigade 'Kholodny Yar' was gathering for their wards. Zinchenko received a phone call from a trusted person of the Pope, who offered assistance. This was done with the knowledge and blessing of Pope Francis under conditions of confidentiality until a certain moment. Today that moment has arrived and the journalist revealed the secret. The Secret Santa in those gatherings was Pope Francis himself," he reported.According to Zinchenko, there was a discussion about the name of the drone. 'We even debated how to name the third 'Mavic'? The first was called 'Kolya', as the gathering took place before St. Nicholas Day according to the Julian calendar. The second was 'Mykhailik' in honor of the heavenly patron of warriors. And in the name of the third, we thought about how to play on the donor's name, but decided that someone might guess, and it would damage the cause. Therefore, we named the third 'Mavic' 'Santa', and referred to the donor as 'Secret Santa',' said the journalist.Zinchenko promised that when the trusted person who handed over the money agrees to comment on this story publicly, they will do so.It should be noted that Pope Francis passed away at the age of 88. His papacy lasted from March 13, 2013.In January, the pontiff fell ill with bronchitis. On February 14, he was hospitalized at the 'Agostino Gemelli' clinic in Rome due to chronic bronchitis and bilateral pneumonia. After this, Francis reduced his workload and underwent treatment.After more than 30 days in the hospital, Francis appeared in public only a few times. He missed the solemn services of Good Friday and Holy Saturday before Easter. However, he appeared in St. Peter's Square during the Easter celebrations. By the way, the new pontiff may continue the church's reforms or return to more conservative principles, depending on his choice.