Pope Leo XIV to Ukrainians "I share your pain for the prisoners and victims of this senseless war - I entrust to the Lord - your desires for peace" - FULL TEXT
Pope Leo XIV welcomed 5,000 of the faithful of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, who have come to the tomb of the Apostle Peter on the occasion of the Jubilee Year on pilgrimage. He was greeting, in particular, His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halyč, the bishops, priests, consecrated men and women, and lay faithful.
GREETING OF THE HOLY FATHER LEO XIV
TO THE JUBILEE PILGRIMAGE OF THE UKRAINIAN GREEK CATHOLIC CHURCH
Vatican Basilica - Saturday, June 28, 2025
___________________
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Peace be with you.
Dear Brothers in the Episcopate,
Dear Priests, Religious Men and Women,
Dear Sisters, Dear Brothers!
I cordially greet all of you, dear faithful of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, who have come to the tomb of the Apostle Peter on the occasion of the Jubilee Year. I greet His Beatitude Shevchuk, Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halyč, the Bishops, the priests, the consecrated men and women, and all the lay faithful.
Your pilgrimage is a sign of the desire to renew your faith, to strengthen your bond and communion with the Bishop of Rome and to bear witness to the hope that does not disappoint, because it is born of the love of Christ that has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (cf. Rom 5:5). The Jubilee calls us to become pilgrims of this hope throughout our lives, despite the adversities of the present moment. The journey to Rome, with the passage through the Holy Doors and the stops at the tombs of the Apostles and Martyrs, is the symbol of this daily journey, stretching towards eternity, where the Lord will wipe away every tear and there will be no more death, nor mourning, nor crying, nor pain (cf. Rev 21:4).
Many of you, to come here, left your beautiful land, rich in Christian faith, fertilized by the evangelical testimony of many saints and irrigated by the blood of many martyrs, who over the centuries, with the gift of their lives, have sealed their fidelity to the Apostle Peter and his Successors.
Faith, dearest, is a treasure to be shared. Every time brings with it difficulties, hardships and challenges, but also opportunities to grow in trust and abandonment to God.
The faith of your People is now being put to the test. Many of you, since the war began, have surely asked yourselves: Lord, why all this? Where are you? What must we do to save our families, our homes and our homeland? Believing does not mean having all the answers, but trusting that God is with us and gives us his grace, that He will pronounce the last word and life will win over death.
The Virgin Mary, so dear to the Ukrainian people, who with her humble and courageous “yes” opened the door to the redemption of the world, assures us that our simple and sincere “yes” can also become an instrument in the hands of God to achieve something great. Confirmed in faith by the Successor of Peter, I urge you to share it with your loved ones, with your fellow countrymen and with all those whom the Lord will allow you to meet. Saying “yes” today can allow us to open new horizons of faith, hope and peace, especially for all those who are suffering.
Sisters and brothers, in welcoming you here, I wish to express my closeness to the tormented Ukraine, to the children, the young people, the elderly and, in a special way, to the families who are mourning their loved ones. I share your pain for the prisoners and victims of this senseless war. I entrust to the Lord your intentions, your daily toils and tragedies and, above all, your desires for peace and serenity.
I encourage you to walk together, pastors and faithful, keeping your gaze fixed on Jesus, our salvation. May the Virgin Mary guide and protect you, who precisely because of her union with the passion of her Son is the Mother of Hope. I bless all of you from my heart, your families, your Church and your people. Thank you.
TO THE JUBILEE PILGRIMAGE OF THE UKRAINIAN GREEK CATHOLIC CHURCH
Vatican Basilica - Saturday, June 28, 2025
___________________
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Peace be with you.
Dear Brothers in the Episcopate,
Dear Priests, Religious Men and Women,
Dear Sisters, Dear Brothers!
I cordially greet all of you, dear faithful of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, who have come to the tomb of the Apostle Peter on the occasion of the Jubilee Year. I greet His Beatitude Shevchuk, Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halyč, the Bishops, the priests, the consecrated men and women, and all the lay faithful.
Your pilgrimage is a sign of the desire to renew your faith, to strengthen your bond and communion with the Bishop of Rome and to bear witness to the hope that does not disappoint, because it is born of the love of Christ that has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (cf. Rom 5:5). The Jubilee calls us to become pilgrims of this hope throughout our lives, despite the adversities of the present moment. The journey to Rome, with the passage through the Holy Doors and the stops at the tombs of the Apostles and Martyrs, is the symbol of this daily journey, stretching towards eternity, where the Lord will wipe away every tear and there will be no more death, nor mourning, nor crying, nor pain (cf. Rev 21:4).
Many of you, to come here, left your beautiful land, rich in Christian faith, fertilized by the evangelical testimony of many saints and irrigated by the blood of many martyrs, who over the centuries, with the gift of their lives, have sealed their fidelity to the Apostle Peter and his Successors.
Faith, dearest, is a treasure to be shared. Every time brings with it difficulties, hardships and challenges, but also opportunities to grow in trust and abandonment to God.
The faith of your People is now being put to the test. Many of you, since the war began, have surely asked yourselves: Lord, why all this? Where are you? What must we do to save our families, our homes and our homeland? Believing does not mean having all the answers, but trusting that God is with us and gives us his grace, that He will pronounce the last word and life will win over death.
The Virgin Mary, so dear to the Ukrainian people, who with her humble and courageous “yes” opened the door to the redemption of the world, assures us that our simple and sincere “yes” can also become an instrument in the hands of God to achieve something great. Confirmed in faith by the Successor of Peter, I urge you to share it with your loved ones, with your fellow countrymen and with all those whom the Lord will allow you to meet. Saying “yes” today can allow us to open new horizons of faith, hope and peace, especially for all those who are suffering.
Sisters and brothers, in welcoming you here, I wish to express my closeness to the tormented Ukraine, to the children, the young people, the elderly and, in a special way, to the families who are mourning their loved ones. I share your pain for the prisoners and victims of this senseless war. I entrust to the Lord your intentions, your daily toils and tragedies and, above all, your desires for peace and serenity.
I encourage you to walk together, pastors and faithful, keeping your gaze fixed on Jesus, our salvation. May the Virgin Mary guide and protect you, who precisely because of her union with the passion of her Son is the Mother of Hope. I bless all of you from my heart, your families, your Church and your people. Thank you.
Source: Vatican.va with Screenshot
https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2025/06/28/250628f.html
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