Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church on the Jubilee Year of Hope: “We Have Discovered Inner Resources in Our People”
“This year, thanks to the Pope’s attention to the virtue of hope, we were able to discover the inner resources of our people.” During the program “Open Church” His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, summed up the results of the Jubilee Year 2025, proclaimed by Pope Francis, and shared his thoughts on the significance of the pontificate of the new Successor of St. Peter, Pope Leo XIV, for Ukraine, Europe, and the entire Catholic Church.
Speaking about the jubilee year, the Primate emphasized that it was not only a sequence of events and pilgrimages, but first and foremost a profound spiritual experience for the Church and the people.
“We often focus on what we lack, but we do not always see what we have. And hope is an innate resource that helps us find strength we didn’t even know we had,” said His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
The Head of the UGCC emphasized that the focus on the virtue of hope had not only spiritual but also important social and international implications. According to him, this was particularly evident in the context of the new dynamics of Pope Leo XIV’s ministry.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav shared his memories of his first meeting with Pope Leo which took place on May 15, even before his official installation.
“It was a very meaningful event. The Pope wanted to meet on the very day when negotiations between the delegations of Ukraine and Russia were taking place in Istanbul. This gesture was a strong sign—not only of personal attention, but also of a clear message to the world,” he said.
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According to the Head of the UGCC, Pope Leo XIV has shown himself from the outset to be a Pontiff who thinks responsibly and in institutional terms: “He is the Pope of the institution. He listens, seeks advice, in particular from our Church, and strives to ensure that the positions of the Apostolic See are balanced and well thought out.”
He drew particular attention to the Popeєs clear position on the war in Ukraine, specifically that Pope Leo XIV, for the first time since the beginning of the war in 2014, clearly referred to the Constitution of Ukraine as the basis for any international resolutions.
“To speak of peace without regard to the Constitution of Ukraine means to deny the subjectivity of our state. The fact that the Pope has said this is an extremely important sign,” the Primate noted.
According to His Beatitude Sviatoslav, the Pope’s position on Europe’s role in the war against Ukraine is no less significant. “The Pope clearly stated that the war in Ukraine is a war in Europe, and Europe bears responsibility. These words were heard. I saw the reaction in various countries, particularly in France. This impacts public sentiment,” he noted.
In conclusion, His Beatitude Sviatoslav emphasized that Pope Leo XIV offers the world a clear vision of peace that is not abstract: “It is a peace based on truth and justice. Because only such a peace is capable of respecting the dignity of the people and being real, not imaginary.”
The UGCC Department for Information
