Katarzyna Szalajko

Thousands of pilgrims are expected to gather in June in the Lithuanian capital for the sixth World Apostolic Congress on Mercy, or WACOM, a five-day event that has previously been held in cities such as Rome, Kraków, Bogota and Manila.

On May 31 in Braniewo, Poland, 15 nuns from the Congregation of St. Catherine Virgin and Martyr were beatified — recognized as martyrs who gave their lives during the final, brutal months of World War II.

As the full-scale Russian invasion in Ukraine reached a tragic threshold of three years Feb. 24, religious sisters are bringing rays of sunshine to those who don't know how to smile anymore, including children whose carefree childhood disappeared, and farmers, whose fields are mined and useless.