“It was a moving encounter before the tomb of the Apostle Peter. Let us pray that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the Risen Christ, may fill the hearts and minds of world leaders with the spirit of peace.” In his weekly video message marking the 167th week of war, His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Major Archbishop of Kyiv, made reference to the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that took place in St Peter’s Basilica before the funeral of Pope Francis. “It was my distinct privilege to preside over our Church’s delegation at the funeral of the Holy Father,” said Shevchuk. “Welcoming the official Ukrainian delegation headed by President Volodymyr Zelensky was equally moving.” Before the funeral service began, His Beatitude Sviatoslav exchanged greetings with Zelensky. Shevchuk thanked the Ukrainian head of state for his presence and remarked on the profound importance of Pope Francis for the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and the Ukrainian people. “We will forever remember him as the Pope of mercy and hope; the Pope who proclaimed the Catholic Church to be a welcoming place for all, describing it as a field hospital for healing people’s wounds.” He added: “As Vicar of Christ on earth and successor of the Apostle Peter, the Pope did everything within his power to end the war.”
“Pope Francis said on many occasions that war is always a failure for humanity, since every war leaves our world in a worse state than before.”
The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) released a special document outlining Pope Francis’s “gestures” in support of Ukraine, which “are destined to go down in history.” “The Ukrainian people are deeply grateful for his unwavering support of “tormented Ukraine”,’ reads the introductory statement to the document. Since the beginning of his pontificate in 2013, Pope Francis has devoted special attention to Ukraine. His concern turned into consistent concern and appeals for prayer after Russia’s full-scale aggression in 2022.
In the context of geopolitical upheaval, the Pope’s voice has been the most relevant in raising awareness of the suffering of the Ukrainian people.”
The UGCC recalls Pope Francis’ words, “Let us pray for martyred Ukraine”, which became a recurring phrase in his public statements. He repeated them every Sunday after the Angelus prayer, during his weekly general audiences and in his Christmas and Easter messages until the penultimate day of his life, Easter Sunday. On 22 April 2022, after the atrocities committed by Russian troops in Bucha were exposed, Pope Francis held up the bloodstained Ukrainian flag from Bucha during the general audience in St Peter’s Square. He kissed the flag and asked the children who had fled the war in Ukraine to join him.
The letter to the Ukrainian people. Pope Francis’s letter to the Ukrainian people, published on 24 November 2022, nine months after the start of Russia’s large-scale invasion, was his single most significant gesture in relation to the situation in Ukraine. “I would like to add my own tears to yours, and to assure you that I am close to you daily in my heart and prayers. Your pain is my pain.”
Online meeting of Pope Francis with young Ukrainians. On 1 February 2025, speaking from Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis addressed young Ukrainians online in a meeting co-organised by the Apostolic Nunciature in Ukraine and His Beatitude Sviatoslav, at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Kyiv. Young people from Kyiv, Lviv and Kharkiv, along with others in Warsaw, Munich, Chicago and Toronto, shared their experiences of living through the war.
The ‘Pope for Ukraine’ initiative: Pope Francis has made a significant contribution to sustaining the Ukrainian people through the ‘Pope for Ukraine’ humanitarian project, which was launched on 24 April 2016. At the Holy Father’s behest, fundraising efforts were organised in Catholic churches across Europe to support those affected by the conflict in Donbas and internally displaced persons. The Pope personally donated a significant sum from his own funds. A total of €15 million was collected, €5 million of which came directly from the Pope’s donation.
Humanitarian aid during the large-scale invasion. Following the outbreak of large-scale warfare in February 2022, the Vatican’s humanitarian aid to Ukraine took on new forms. Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, the Papal Almoner responsible for coordinating charitable activities on behalf of the Pope, visited Ukraine several times, including areas close to the front lines. During his numerous trips, ambulances and humanitarian supplies were delivered by the Cardinal and distributed to the hardest hit Ukrainian people, including those in areas where the fighting was most intense.
Ukrainian children receive medical care in the Vatican. The Vatican’s Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital offered a special healthcare programme for Ukrainian children affected by the war as part of the Vatican’s humanitarian aid effort. On the initiative of Pope Francis, the hospital welcomed Ukrainian children in need of complex treatments and physical rehabilitation.
Mediation for the return of Ukrainian prisoners. Pope Francis’ humanitarian activity also involved supporting the return of Ukrainian military personnel and civilians held captive in Russia. The Vatican’s diplomatic efforts, along with the Holy Father’s personal intervention, helped secure the release of many Ukrainians. One notable case was the return of two Ukrainian Greek Catholic priests, Rev. Ivan Levytskyy and Rev. Bohdan Heleta. Their release was the result of talks involving Vatican diplomats and the Holy Father’s personal intervention.
Visit to the Ukrainian Basilica in Rome. Alongside his official statements and initiatives, Pope Francis has demonstrated a deep personal connection with Ukraine through a series of symbolic gestures. One of the most touching of these was his visit on 28 January 2018 to the Ukrainian Basilica of St. Sophia, a Ukrainian Greek Catholic parish founded by Patriarch Josyf Slipyj.
Daily prayer before the Ukrainian icon. Nonetheless, it was the testimony of Pope Francis regarding his daily prayers that resonated most profoundly with the Ukrainian people. “I want to tell you a secret,” the Pope shared on that occasion. “Before I go to bed at night or get up in the morning, I meet with Ukrainians… Every evening, before going to bed, I kiss the icon of Our Lady of Tenderness, which your Major Archbishop gave me, and in the morning I greet her. So you could say that I begin and end my day in Ukrainian.”
