Video-message of the Head of the UGCC on the 170th Week of Full-Scale War, May 18, 2025
Christ is risen!
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ!
The 170th week of this atrocious war is coming to an end. It has been a week rich in historic events—a week in which Ukraine was at the center of global attention. There was hardly a journalist or media outlet that didn’t speak about Ukraine. Everyone is searching for ways to end the war and stop the unjust aggressor.
We closely followed the meeting in Istanbul between world leaders. We saw who truly desires peace and who evades it; who seeks the truth and who deceives the world; whose deeds are good, as the Gospel says, and are thus not afraid to come into the light, and whose deeds are evil and wish to remain in darkness. We accompanied our Ukrainian delegation in prayer, led by the President. We asked God to enlighten the minds and hearts of the world’s powerful with thoughts and concrete steps toward His just peace.
And yet, even as peace was spoken of at the highest levels, Ukraine continued to suffer. The violence raged on. The enemy advanced on all fronts and prepared even heavier blows against our homeland. Air raid sirens once again wailed in cities across Ukraine, followed by missile attacks of every kind.
But our people—who long for peace—continue to pray and to build peace in today’s world. We are grateful to all who remember Ukraine, speak up for Ukraine, and support our homeland and our people. Those who remember Ukraine today are saving us from the oblivion into which the Russian aggressor wishes to cast us. By remembering Ukraine, they make us more visible to the world and help restore the name God gave us—not as a territory or a storehouse of resources, but as a people. A people of millions, with a thousand-year-old Christian culture, language, church tradition, and the experience of the Risen Christ walking among us.
And so, once again we declare: Ukraine stands. Ukraine fights. Ukraine prays.
This week, the center of Church life was once again here in the Eternal City of Rome. For three days—Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday—the Jubilee Pilgrimage of the Eastern Catholic Churches took place. It was an extraordinary celebration, bringing together bishops, priests, monks, nuns, and thousands of faithful from the Eastern Churches who came to Rome to celebrate the Divine Liturgy in their various traditions: Syrian Catholic, Maronite, Syro-Malabar, Syro-Malankara, Armenian, and, of course, Byzantine.
On Wednesday, we experienced a unique moment of joint prayer by all the Catholic Churches of the Byzantine tradition in St. Peter’s Basilica. I am deeply grateful to all our faithful, especially those from Italy and across Europe, who came for this Jubilee of the Eastern Catholic Churches and demonstrated that we are the largest Eastern Catholic Church.
We also had meetings with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Parolin and with Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States. In addition, we met with Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches.
All of this took place in the context of preparations for the enthronement of the new pope, which occurred this Sunday. Leaders from around the world gathered in the Eternal City for this historic event.
Yet another memorable moment came about: the newly elected Pope Leo XIV may have stepped outside of usual protocol—as popes typically do not grant private audiences before their enthronement—but he did grant me, unworthy as I am, a personal audience, one of the very first of his pontificate. The Holy Father expressed his deep prayers and solidarity with the Ukrainian people. He said to me, “I am with you; I carry the pain of Ukraine in my heart.”
We also spoke about the Ukrainian people's longing for the Holy Father’s visit. They truly believe that his presence in Ukraine could help bring an end to the war.
Today, we rejoice that the heart of Pope Leo beats in unison with the heart of Ukraine. He listened attentively as I shared how our Church is living and serving in Ukraine today. He was deeply grateful that our Church stands with its people, heals their wounds, accompanies them in the most difficult moments of their history, and serves as the voice of Ukraine to the entire world.
I had the opportunity to present the Pope with a unique work of art created by the father of a fallen defender of Ukraine—an expression of his grief. The piece, titled Requiem Prayer, moved the Holy Father deeply. Sometimes art can convey more than words ever could.
This Sunday, as we heard the Gospel of the Samaritan woman’s thirst for living water, we prayed that the Lord God—through His heralds, through Pope Leo XIV, and through all who seek peace and goodness—would bless our long-suffering Ukraine and our land with His power and grace, bless our defenders, and grant us His 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.
Christ is risen! He is truly risen!
