Pope Francis Holds First-Ever Online Meeting with Ukrainian Youth
February 1, 2025, the Holy Father, Pope Francis, held an online meeting with Ukrainian youth at the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Kyiv.
The meeting was attended by His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the UGCC, Apostolic Nuncio Visvaldas Kulbokas, and Bishop Jan Sobilo, Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia in the Roman Catholic Church.
More than 250 young people from Greek Catholic and Roman Catholic eparchies, as well as from the Mukachevo Greek Catholic Eparchy, gathered at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Kyiv for the online meeting with Pope Francis.
The meeting was also joined by Ukrainian youth from Warsaw (Poland), Munich (Germany), Chicago (USA), and London (UK).
Most Rev. Bryan Bayda, Bishop of the Eparchy of Toronto and Eastern Canada, and Chairman of the Patriarchal Commission on Youth, welcomed the young people.
The event began with a joint prayer of the “Our Father.”
His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the UGCC, expressed his gratitude to the Holy Father for “this historic meeting,” noting that “hope in Ukraine has many faces,” particularly, “hope has the face of young Ukrainians who, despite the challenges of war, know how to love God and neighbor.”
Shortly thereafter, the young people shared their personal testimonies of the war with the Pope. They spoke about pain, loss, anxieties, and the challenges they faced during the war.
According to a schoolgirl from Kharkiv, “the Church became a place of salvation for many. And it is very valuable for us that our bishops and priests did not abandon us, but stayed with us.”
“We, as one united people, bear the burden of war together. Our Church has become the strongest refuge during the war, so we ask you to remember us in your prayers and continue doing everything possible to help us finally defeat the enemy. Thank you, Holy Father, for the opportunity to speak to you and, through you, to the entire world,” she emphasized.
The young people had the opportunity to ask Pope Francis relevant questions and receive answers. They sought guidance on topics such as forgiveness, prayer during times of war, coping with separation from home while in exile, steps to take in order to win, and how to find one’s place and purpose in the world.
In response to a question, Pope Francis emphasized that “a young person must preserve the memory of the past, while also remaining open to the future and dreaming. A young person who does not dream of the future grows old. Take your memories of the past into your future.”
Addressing the youth, he also stated, “Today, the mission of Ukrainian youth is to be patriotic.”
“You cannot conceal yourselves from the problems you are facing today. At this moment, your country is wounded by war. You must be patriots, love your homeland, and defend it,” the Holy Father added.
The meeting concluded with a joint singing of the spiritual anthem of Ukraine, “God, the Great, the One…”
The UGCC Department for Information
