“In 2025 will not come, but he accepted the invitation": the head of the UGCC invited the Pope to visit Ukraine

The head of the UGCC, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, said that he had invited Pope Francis to visit Ukraine. According to him, the pontiff does not plan to visit the country in the near future, but the Pope accepted the invitation of the head of the Greek Catholics of Ukraine. Shevchuk said this in an interview with Radio Liberty.

“There is no [date for the visit] yet, but Pope Francis sometimes likes to make surprises. He can announce a visit literally a month before he decides to come to Ukraine. So we enter this new year with hope. With the hope that a just peace will prevail in Ukraine,” — said the head of the UGCC.

Earlier, Sviatoslav Shevchuk defended Pope Francis in the Ukrainian media for his words that Russians and Ukrainians are brothers who must find ways to mutual understanding. Sviatoslav Shevchuk claims that the Pontiff is trying to stay above the conflict, thus fulfilling his pastoral mission.