His Beatitude Sviatoslav Traveling to Rome: “Please Pray for the Repose of Pope Francis and the Future of the Universal Church”
On April 23, 2025, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the UGCC, presided over the Divine Liturgy marking the consecration of the renovated St. George’s Church in Drohobych. At the conclusion of the Liturgy, he asked the faithful to pray for the repose of Pope Francis, as well as for the cardinals who will soon gather for a conclave to elect a new Pope.
“Today I am traveling from Kyiv to Rome to lead a delegation of our Church’s bishops at the funeral of His Holiness Pope Francis, which will take place on Saturday. Then, God willing, I will take part in the enthronement of the newly elected Pope, the Head of the Universal Catholic Church,” said His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
The Head of the UGCC emphasized Pope Francis’s personal efforts to end the war in Ukraine:
“I have witnessed how the Holy Father did everything in his power, as the Vicar of Christ on earth, to stop the war. I am convinced that now, in heaven, he has even greater opportunities—and even fuller understanding—to help Ukraine.”
At the same time, His Beatitude Sviatoslav called on the faithful to accompany the conclave of cardinals with prayer:
“The future of the Universal Church is being decided. We thank God that the Head of the Catholic Church is Jesus Christ, who rose from the dead. In Him lies our strength and our hope. At the same time, we need the new Vicar of Christ on earth to be a good father to Ukraine and to the children of our nation.”
The UGCC Department for Information
