The Major Archbishop of Kyiv Expresses Gratitude to Pope Leo
During a private audience on Thursday morning, the Major Archbishop of Kyiv, His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, met with Pope Leo XIV to express his gratitude. The Archbishop presented the Pope with a painting entitled “Requiem Prayer,” depicting the suffering of the Ukrainian people.
In the Library of the Apostolic Palace, Pope Leo XIV received Archbishop Shevchuk and thanked him for his words during the Regina Caeli on Sunday 11 May. The Pope had acknowledged the suffering of the Ukrainian people and called for “an authentic, just, and lasting peace,” urging for the release of prisoners and the return of children who had been taken away.
The Greek Catholic Secretariat released a statement praising the Pope’s words as “a true spiritual balm for the wounded soul of the Ukrainian people.”
As the audience concluded, Archbishop Shevchuk gifted Pope Leo with the painting “Requiem Prayer,” created by artist Bohdan Pylypiv, whose son was a soldier that tragically lost his life in the conflict. The painting serves as a poignant reminder of the ongoing struggles faced by the Ukrainian people.
