Apostolic Nuncio: Not Likely that Pope Will Come to Ukraine in Summer

Archbishop Thomas Edward Gullickson, Apostolic Nuncio in Ukraine, stated in an interview to RBC.ua that it is unlikley that Pope Francis will come to Ukraine for the celebration of the 1025th anniversary of the baptism of Rus.

“As far as I understood, President Viktor Yanukovych’s invitation will be sent for the occasion of the national holiday on the Day of St. Volodymyr in July. The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church will celebrate the Rus Baptism in August on the occasion of the Synod with a big pilgrimage which is to end with the consecration of the altar in the cathedral on 18 August. The pope will not be able to come two times in one month, and I consider it too difficult to ask the Most Holy Father to make a choice in favor of a national holiday or such an important event in the life of the Catholic Church here, in Kyiv. Therefore, it is not clear at the moment,” stated the Archbishop.