Head of Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church at Vatican Pilgrimage: “Today, the Patriarchal Council Was Celebrated in a Liturgical Manner”
“We believe that our Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, as the heir of Kyivan Christianity, is a global Church that unites its faithful from around the world within its patriarchal space. We experience conciliarity in the context of the Eucharist through the power and grace of the Holy Spirit—because it is through the Eucharist that unity is created.”
His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the UGCC, emphasized this during his sermon in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on 28 June, during the Jubilee Pilgrimage of the UGCC to the tomb of St. Peter the Apostle.
In his homily, His Beatitude Sviatoslav reflected on the Blessed Virgin Mary, calling her the Mother of Compassion and an icon of the Church who shares in the suffering of her children. He meditated on Christ’s words from the cross: “Woman, behold your son” (Jn 19:26). According to the Primate, even in his final moments, the dying Savior thought of each of us, and through the Mother of God, we are shown the mystery of compassion.
“Today, your Mother Church suffers with her children,” he stressed.
He also noted that Ukrainians had come to St. Peter’s Basilica in search of hope, having been called to this pilgrimage by Pope Francis.
“Here, we have received extraordinary signs of that hope,” His Beatitude said. “We are praying with you at the most important altar of the universal Church, at the tomb of St. Peter the Apostle.”
The solemn Divine Liturgy was made even more significant by the personal greeting of Pope Leo XIV to the Ukrainian pilgrims. As His Beatitude Sviatoslav noted, this gesture served as “a source of Christian hope.”
“Through his words, Pope Leo has given us visibility in the eyes of the world. Know this: the whole world now sees you—the people who have filled this basilica to capacity. We were, we are, and we will be,” the Primate declared.
“No other Church or nation has a pilgrimage like this during the Jubilee Year of 2025. Only Ukraine and the Ukrainian people have received this privilege, as a sign of the Pope’s respect and compassion for Ukraine’s suffering.”
The Father and Head of the Church also recalled that exactly 50 years ago, in 1975, a Jubilee pilgrimage of Ukrainian faithful to Rome was led by Patriarch Josyf Slipyj.
“From this very throne of the Apostle Peter, Patriarch Josyf Slipyj proclaimed the dignity of the UGCC to the world for the first time. Today, we stand in the same place and make that same proclamation to the world,” His Beatitude Sviatoslav emphasized.
According to the Primate, “Today, the Patriarchal Council of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church took place in a liturgical form.” Members of the global Ukrainian community had gathered in St. Peter’s Basilica. At a time when war is scattering Ukrainians around the world, the Church, he said, is drawing the scattered back together.
“I greet the Ukrainian community today—from North and South America, Australia, various European countries, different regions of Italy and Ukraine, and even from Russia and Kazakhstan,” the Primate said in his address to the pilgrims. “What we are witnessing is a wave of God’s grace.”
“Today we feel that the motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary—reflected in the motherhood of our Church—embraces Ukrainians wherever they may be, and heals our wounds through the power of the Holy Spirit,” His Beatitude Sviatoslav said.
Concluding his homily, the Primate offered words of strength and hope:
“Let us return home as heralds of this hope, together proclaiming to Rome and to the world: Ukraine stands! Ukraine fights! Ukraine prays!”
Before the Divine Liturgy, approximately 7,000 faithful of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church passed through the Holy Doors of St. Peter’s Basilica. His Beatitude Sviatoslav and all the bishops of the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC accompanied the pilgrims through the Holy Doors. Inside the basilica, the bishops led the singing of the Ukrainian spiritual hymn, “God, Great and One.”
The UGCC Department for Information
