“Let Us Persist in a Shared Faith and Hope,” Pope Leo XIV to the Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
On Wednesday, July 2, the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church met with Pope Leo XIV in the Consistory Hall of the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican. During the audience, the Holy Father reaffirmed his closeness to the Ukrainian people, recognizing the strength of their faith and hope amid the suffering of war.
In his address, Pope Leo XIV recalled his encounter with Ukrainian pilgrims on June 28, during the Jubilee Pilgrimage of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church to St. Peter’s Basilica. He reminded the bishops that the Jubilee Year 2025 is meant to renew hope for all of God’s people, underlining that hope does not disappoint, because it is rooted in the love of God revealed in Jesus Christ, our Lord.
“Given the present circumstances,” the Pope said, “it is not easy to speak of hope to you or to the people entrusted to your care. It is not easy to find words of comfort for families who have lost loved ones in this senseless war. I can imagine how hard it is for you—who are in daily contact with people wounded in both body and heart. And yet, I continue to receive countless testimonies of faith and hope from the men and women of your people. This is a sign of God’s power—revealed even among the ruins of destruction.”
The Holy Father also acknowledged the many challenges the bishops face—not only spiritual, but also humanitarian.
“You are called to serve Christ in every wounded and suffering person who turns to your communities for help.”
“I am close to you, and through you, to all the faithful of your Church. Let us persist in one faith and one hope. Our unity is a great mystery—one that remains real even with those brothers and sisters whose lives were taken from this earth but who are now received by God. In Him, everything lives and finds its meaning,” said the Pope.
At the close of the audience, Pope Leo XIV offered words of encouragement, saying: “We are always comforted by the deep conviction that the Blessed Virgin Mary is with us, guiding us to her Son, who is our peace.”
He then prayed for peace in Ukraine and invited the bishops to join him in reciting the “Our Father” in Ukrainian, adding: “I truly enjoyed praying this prayer with you last Saturday.”
His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, thanked the Holy Father for his words recognizing the pastoral zeal of the UGCC bishops, and for the unwavering support he continues to offer to the Ukrainian people. He emphasized that this audience was a visible sign that
“All our synodal activity takes place in full and visible communion with the Bishop of Rome.”
“Usually, we express this communion through a written letter,” His Beatitude continued, “but today, we have lived it. We have paid for this communion with the blood of martyrs, and we still face persecution today. And yet, because we—as a Church and as a people—could rely on the rock of Peter, we have endured for over a thousand years, especially throughout the trials of the 20th century.”
On behalf of the Synod of Bishops, His Beatitude Sviatoslav presented the Holy Father with an icon of St. Michael the Archangel, patron of Kyiv. He also handed Pope Leo XIV lists of Ukrainian prisoners and missing persons, highlighting the deep wounds still carried by the Ukrainian people.
At the close of the meeting, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, invited Pope Leo XIV to visit Ukraine. He also assured the Holy Father that the people of Ukraine pray for him daily. In response, Pope Leo XIV assured him that he, too, prays daily for Ukraine and its people.
photo credit: Vatican Media
