To the Pilgrims of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church: June 28, 2025

Pope Leo XIV addressed the pilgrims of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church on the Solemnity of the Feasts of Saints Peter and Paul on June 28, 2025.

To the Pilgrims of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Peace be with you.

Dear brothers in the Episcopate,
Dear priests, religious men and women,
Dear sisters, dear brothers!

I cordially greet all of you, dear faithful of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, who have come to the tomb of the Apostle Peter on the occasion of the Jubilee Year. I greet His Beatitude Shevchuk, Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halyč, the bishops, priests, consecrated men and women, and all the lay faithful.

Your pilgrimage is a sign of your desire to renew your faith, to strengthen your bond and communion with the Bishop of Rome, and to bear witness to the hope that does not disappoint, because it comes from the love of Christ that has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (cf. Rom 5:5). The Jubilee calls us to become pilgrims of this hope throughout our lives, despite the adversities of the present moment. The journey to Rome, with the passage through the Holy Doors and the stops at the tombs of the Apostles and Martyrs, is a symbol of this daily journey, reaching toward eternity, where the Lord will wipe away every tear and there will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain (cf. Rev 21:4).

Many of you, in order to get here, left your beautiful land, rich in Christian faith, fertilized by the evangelical witness of so many saints and watered with the blood of many martyrs who, over the centuries, with the gift of their lives, sealed their fidelity to the Apostle Peter and his Successors.

Faith, dear friends, is a treasure to be shared. Every age brings with it difficulties, struggles, and challenges, but also opportunities to grow in trust and abandonment to God.

The faith of your people is now being severely tested. Many of you, since the war began, have surely asked yourselves: Lord, why all this? Where are you? What must we do to save our families, our homes, and our homeland? Believing does not mean having all the answers, but trusting that God is with us and gives us his grace, that he will have the last word and that life will triumph over death.

The Virgin Mary, so dear to the Ukrainian people, who with her humble and courageous “yes” opened the door to the redemption of the world, assures us that our simple and sincere “yes” can also become an instrument in God’s hands to accomplish something great. Confirmed in the faith by the Successor of Peter, I urge you to share it with your loved ones, with your fellow citizens, and with all those whom the Lord will bring you to meet. Saying “yes” today can open new horizons of faith, hope, and peace, especially for all those who are suffering.

Sisters and brothers, in welcoming you here, I wish to express my closeness to the tormented Ukraine, to the children, to the young people, to the elderly, and in a special way to the families who mourn their loved ones. I share your pain for the prisoners and victims of this senseless war. I entrust to the Lord your intentions, your daily struggles and tragedies, and above all, your desires for peace and serenity.

I encourage you to walk together, pastors and faithful, keeping your gaze fixed on Jesus, our salvation. May the Virgin Mary, who is Mother of Hope precisely because of her union with the passion of her Son, guide and protect you. I cordially bless all of you, your families, your Church, and your people. Thank you.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

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