By Deborah Castellano Lubov
Even if your faith is being put to the test, trust in God, Pope Leo XIV told Ukrainian Greek Catholics on Saturday in the Vatican.
The Pope began saying he extends a heartfelt greeting to the dear faithful of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, who have come to the tomb of the Apostle Peter on the occasion of the Jubilee Year, and greeting, in particular, His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halyč, the bishops, priests, consecrated men and women, and lay faithful.
Welcoming the delegation, Pope Leo said, “I wish to express my closeness to the martyred Ukraine—to the children, the youth, the elderly, and especially to the families who mourn their loved ones,” adding, “I share in your sorrow for the prisoners and for the victims of this senseless war.”
Keep eyes on Christ
The Holy Father also reassured that he entrusts to the Lord their intentions, your daily struggles and tragedies, and above all, their longing for peace and serenity, noting, “I encourage you to walk together—pastors and faithful—keeping your eyes fixed on Jesus, our salvation.”
“Your pilgrimage,” he said, “is a sign of the desire to renew the faith, to strengthen the bond and communion with the Bishop of Rome, and to bear witness to the hope that does not disappoint, because it is born from the love of Christ poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit,” highlighting, “The Jubilee calls us to become pilgrims of that hope throughout our lives, despite the adversities of the present moment.”
Many questions for the Lord
“The faith of your people,” Pope Leo recognized, “is now being put to a severe test.” “Many of you, since the war began,” he acknowledged, “have surely asked yourselves: Lord, why all this? Where are you? What must we do to save our families, our homes, and our homeland?”
Faced with this dramatic scenario, Pope Leo stressed that, “Believing does not mean already having all the answers, but trusting that God is with us and grants us His grace, that He will have the final word, and that life will triumph over death.
Learning from the Virgin Mary
The Pope urged them to draw strength and courage from the Blessed Mother.
“The Virgin Mary, so beloved by the Ukrainian people, who with her humble and courageous ‘yes,’” he said, “opened the door to the world’s redemption, assures us that our own “yes,” simple and sincere, can also become an instrument in God’s hands for accomplishing something great.”
“Saying “yes” today,” he said, “can open new horizons of faith, of hope, and of peace, especially for all those who are suffering.”
Hope that the Lord will wipe away every tear
The Pope urged them to share that faith with their loved ones, fellow countrymen and women, and all those the Lord places in your path, reminding that the Jubilee calls all faithful to become pilgrims of hope throughout our lives, despite the adversities of the present moment.
Their journey to Rome, with the passage through the Holy Doors and the stops at the tombs of the Apostles and Martyrs, he also suggested, is a symbol of this daily path, oriented toward eternity, “where the Lord will wipe away every tear, and there will be no more death, nor mourning, nor crying, nor pain.”
Pope Leo concluded by praying that the Virgin Mary, Mother of Hope, guide and protect them, and imparting his heartfelt Apostolic Blessing to their families, Church, and people.
The Holy Father also greeted and blessed some mothers of soldiers who had fallen at the front who were participating in the pilgrimage. – Vatican News
