Pope Leo Calls for a Day of Fasting and Prayer for Peace in Ukraine

Pope Francis called on Catholics and other believers around the world to observe a day of fasting and prayer for peace in Ukraine, the Middle East, and other war-torn regions on Friday, August 22. This was reported by Reuters.

“As our Earth continues to be wounded by wars in the Holy Land, in Ukraine, and in many other regions … I invite all the faithful to live the day of August 22 in fasting and prayer,” the pontiff said during his weekly audience at the Vatican.

Earlier, it was reported that the head of the UGCC, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, shared his vision for the development of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Union. Shevchuk claims that while the UGCC is in communion with the Vatican, it does not belong to the “Western patriarchate.” He believes that the UGCC should become the foundation for a “united Kyiv church,” and therefore, the Uniates cannot abandon the idea of obtaining patriarchal status in order to achieve equal rights with other Local Churches.