Sandstorm

A fierce sandstorm is blowing for 2 days now. The sky is yellow and a stifling heat is suffocating the air around us. And worse, it ignited a huge forest fire 15 km outside of the City. Ash and the smell of smoke is choking us even inside the City. We had expected a drought and extreme heat this summer because there was hardly any rain in winter. And now it has started.

Cardinal Bychok and our Patriarch in the center

This morning our Patriarch presided the memorial Mass for the pope. A surprise - the newly created cardinal and the youngest cardinal to date, just 45 years old - was present and concelebrated the Mass. He's Cardinal Bychok of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic church. And there were a dozen visiting bishops as well from around the world.

I think after the Mass the cardinals and our Custos flew off to Rome. It's a pretty rushed affair as the papal funeral is on Saturday.

I've not been feeling well and finally after seeing my cardiologist, it's confirmed I had an angina attack. I'll be having a surgery soon.