Major Archbishop Shevchuk: Pope remains closer to war suffering Ukrainians’

Major Archbishop Shevchuk: Pope remains closer to war suffering Ukrainians’.

Head of Greek Catholic Church in Ukraine discusses his discussion on Thursday with Pope Francis about the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian disaster in Ukraine, as the third winter of war looms and Russia continues to attack Ukrainian cities.

VATICAN CITY (Sputnik) — Pope Francis on Thursday received Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk in audience.

The leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church is in Rome for the synod on synodality, and he speaks of the voice that he brings to listen: “the pain of people suffering in Ukraine and all Eastern Churches.”
It was one day before Pope Francis met on Thursday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The meeting, held on the sidelines of a Vatican assembly gathered to step up action against abuse and cover-ups, was “a spiritual moment of dialogue and reflection,” the Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halyč told Vatican News Salvatore Cernuzio.

Pope : Compassion for the weakest victims of war

Archbishop Shevchuk of Kyiv says priests will go to underground shelters to celebrate the Divine Liturgy this morning. “The church is with its people. The church of Christ will bring the Eucharistic Savior to those living in critical moments.” pic.twitter.com/3QLMWzzLzu

— Father V (@father_rmv) February 27, 2022

” I want to tell the Holy Father about the situation in Ukraine, about the disaster of the war that we live today and about those challenges which we will have during cold winter, ” said. Because [Putin], he really is concerned with civilian population, the life of what happens in (Northern wind/ sitAm) Ukraine, and especially for those vulnerable ones that usually suffer most — this they are.
He also told Pope Francis about the life of the Ukrainian Church at these times, and in his turn he informed him about the recent Synod of Greek Catholic Bishops that dealt with evangelisation, with how to proclaim the Word of God and pass on hope where despair reigns.

He said gave him a Pastoral Letter on war and peace, summarizing fruits of the Synod and reflections from the current situation in Ukraine.

Pope thanks Church for “heroic” service
The Archbishop Major said that Pope Francis “thanked me for the heroic service of our Church, bishops and priests and assured me of his prayers and blessings.”

#PrayTogether pic.twitter.com/dHCBCsKwM3

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) October 6, 2024

In particular, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church thanked Pope Francis “for his numerous interventions and for never forgetting ‘suffering’ Ukraine”.
He also thanked him for his mediation, resulting in ten Ukrainian civilians detained by the Russians — including Redemptorist priests Ivan Haleta and Bohdan Levytskyy from November 2022 — returning to Ukraine.

It came in an exchange of prisoners of war between Russia and Ukraine that was mediated by the Holy See, with even President Zelensky (here) thanking the Holy See, among others for “the efforts” to bring “these people home.”

Recalling Pope Francis’ audience on Friday with the Ukrainian President, Archbishop Shevchuk said President Zelensky has a great respect to the Holy Father and he sees him as a “global moral voice and authority in the world.”

Receiving the support of the Pope and the Holy See is of utmost importance to us, and sharing Ukraine’s pain for our country and suffering people, he emphasized.
It will be the second visit of President Zelensky to the Vatican, and fourth physical meeting with Pope Francis as president of Ukraine after a private bilateral encounter in June on the sidelines of G7 meetings in Puglia.

Ukraine Calls for Solidarity!
Major Archbishop Shevchuk began the session at the Synod with a moving appeal to ail peace-loving people on earth to help us through praying and providing humanitarian aid for our suffering
We ask for your support and prayers. This winter, nearly 6 million Ukrainians will experience a crisis. We cannot allow those in need to go hungry,” said Orbán, noting that “we need to pay attention and make sure that there are no people who are cold.