UGCC Announces Jubilee Pilgrimage to the Vatican

On June 28, 2025, a pilgrimage of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church to the tomb of Saint Peter the Apostle will take place in the Vatican as part of the Jubilee Year of Hope, declared by Pope Francis. This was announced on the official website of the UGCC.

At 1:00 PM Rome time, a service in the Ukrainian-Byzantine rite will be held in St. Peter’s Basilica with representatives of the UGCC, led by their head, Sviatoslav Shevchuk. Afterward, a session of the UGCC Synod will begin.

“Even in the Vatican, they should see that we are many and cannot be overcome. We are the largest Eastern Catholic Church, a global Church uniting a multi-million Ukrainian community worldwide. I invite all our faithful — come and see,” Shevchuk stated.

Pilgrims are expected from various countries, including Canada, the USA, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, and Western Europe. For those unable to attend in person, a live broadcast will be organized.

Shevchuk also sent an official invitation to Pope Leo XIV, whose presence is expected.

Earlier, it was also reported that on May 22, 2025, representatives of the OCU and UGCC held joint religious events at Taras Hill to mark the 164th anniversary of the reburial of the famous Ukrainian writer Taras Shevchenko. The memorial service for Shevchenko was led by the head of the OCU, Epiphanius Dumenko. Alongside him, representatives of the UGCC also “prayed for Taras Shevchenko,” although the writer had described them unfavorably in his works, pointing to the harmfulness of the union for the Ukrainian people.