Address by the Head of the UGCC for the 228th Week of the Full-Scale War, June 28, 2026
Glory to Jesus Christ!
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ!
This Sunday marks the 228th week of this great war, which, tragically, has now been raging for more than 12 years. This full-scale war has once again brought Ukraine immense grief, suffering, and destruction.
We thank the Lord God and the Armed Forces of Ukraine for preserving our lives so that, once again this week, we have been able to serve our people.
We thank the Armed Forces of Ukraine for their courageous defense of our homeland. The enemy has lost any tactical initiative, and our soldiers are not only successfully defending our land but also pushing the enemy back from Ukrainian soil.
Yet every day and every night, the Russians continue to kill innocent civilians in Ukraine. We continue to receive heartbreaking news from Kherson and Nikopol, where Russian drones deliberately target civilian vehicles. This week in particular, the enemy has also attempted to strike railway infrastructure, especially in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions. Once again, dozens of people have been killed or wounded.
At the same time, this week has also brought several deeply hopeful and profoundly spiritual events, reminding us that amid the darkness of war, God’s light continues to shine among us and renew us with His grace.
This week, we solemnly commemorated the centenary of the enthronement of a unique icon of the Mother of God in Mukachevo, Transcarpathia—an icon presented by Pope Pius XI in 1926. The icon originated in Constantinople and even bears the date of its creation. It is believed to have witnessed the fall of Constantinople and its conquest by the Ottoman army. It was later preserved in Rome until, at the request of the faithful of Transcarpathia, it was transferred one hundred years ago to the Basilian monastery in Mukachevo. The celebration of this centenary became a source of spiritual renewal not only for the people of Transcarpathia but for all of Ukraine. Today, the Mother of God continues to protect her children, gather them together, heal their wounds, and lift their prayers to the throne of the Most High.
Another deeply significant and joyful event also took place this week. One hundred and sixty Ukrainian defenders returned home from Russian captivity. Many of them had been held prisoner since the very first days of the war, having defended Mariupol and the Donetsk region and endured horrific torture while in captivity. At last, their loved ones were able to embrace their husbands, fathers, and sons once again. We thank everyone who contributed to bringing our defenders safely home.
Once again this week, we proclaim to the whole world: Ukraine stands firm. Ukraine fights. Ukraine prays!
This week in Ukraine, the Catholic Church of both traditions—the Latin and the Byzantine—celebrated the 25th anniversary of Saint Pope John Paul II’s visit to Ukraine.
We began this week of commemorations last Sunday in Kyiv at St. Alexander’s Church and concluded it in Lviv’s Sykhiv district with the Divine Liturgy in the Byzantine Rite, celebrated at the very place where Pope John Paul II met with Ukrainian youth.
Throughout the week, our purpose was not simply to recall an event from the past, but to hear the Holy Father’s voice anew. That is why a wide range of events took place: youth gatherings, cycling pilgrimages, prayer services and vigils, academic conferences, artistic events, and numerous other prayer initiatives.
Our goal was to give today’s generation of young Ukrainians the opportunity to hear once again the life-giving words of the Pope. We can truly say that over the past twenty-five years, the figure and message of Saint John Paul II have helped shape the culture of Christian Ukraine—the culture of dialogue, the development of civil society, the relationship between society and the state, and relations among the Churches and the various religious communities. Much of what today characterizes the European dimension of our social and ecclesial life was inspired by Pope John Paul II. We call him the Pope of Ukrainian sovereignty—the Pope who placed the dignity of the human person at the center of public life.
Ukrainians of every denomination and religious affiliation regard John Paul II as one of the great humanists at the turn of the millennium. Even today, his voice continues to call us to unity and, above all, to the healing of our historical wounds. At a time when relations between Ukrainians and Poles are once again under strain, the witness of John Paul II—who gave us not only spiritual wisdom but also the formula for Polish-Ukrainian reconciliation, “We forgive and ask for forgiveness”—is more relevant and timely than ever.
Today we ask Saint Pope John Paul II to intercede in heaven for Ukraine, for Poland, and for all of Europe; to pray for an end to this sacrilegious war; and to implore the Lord God to grant peace to our long-suffering land.
God, bless Ukraine! God, bless the youth of Ukraine, whom Saint Pope John Paul II loved so dearly and to whom he so often addressed his words! God, bless our Ukrainian land with Your just and heavenly peace!
The blessing of the Lord be upon you, through His grace and love for mankind, always, now and forever, and for the ages of ages. Amen.
Glory to Jesus Christ!
