Originally published at National Catholic Register
Archbishop Shevchuk has long advocated for a papal visit to Ukraine.
Media reports about Pope Francis potentially visiting Ukraine have raised hopes the Holy Father could accept an invitation to visit the war-torn country in 2025.
According to a report by Ukrainska Pravda, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, said in a recent interview that while no visit was confirmed, “Pope Francis sometimes likes to make surprises.”
The prospect of a papal visit to Ukraine has been discussed multiple times since Russia’s full-scale invasion began.
In June 2022, speaking to children during the “Children’s Train” initiative in Rome, Pope Francis explained his approach to such a visit: “I would like to go to Ukraine. But, I have to wait for the right time to do it, because it is not easy to make a decision that could do more harm to the whole world than good.”
The new speculation about a potential visit follows the Pope’s Christmas message on Dec. 25 in which he specifically mentioned the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, calling for its end and for negotiations toward a just peace.
“May the sound of weapons be silenced in Ukraine,” the Pope
