Cardinal Mykola Bychok Presents Pope Leo XIV with Gifts from a Ukrainian Soldier
The Bishop gave Pope Leo a Ukrainian flag and a wooden cross from Mykhailo Strypa of Hoshiv, a soldier of the 67th Separate Mechanised Brigade of the “Right Sector”, who served between 2022 and 2025 in Nevske, Ploshchanka, Bakhmut, Serebrianske, Chasiv Yar, Dvorichne, Terny, and in the Sumy region. Mykhailo entrusted these gifts to Pope Leo, asking that the Pontiff never cease to be a voice of truth in this war.
The flag, mounted in a simple wooden frame, bears on its reverse side a moving testimony from Mykhailo about the power of prayer and God’s protection: “This flag was always kept in my body armour, and the cross was attached to my body armour when I went there. Later, they told us that we would leave Bakhmut either severely wounded or dead. I remember mines exploding beside me, bullets passing through my beard, grenades failing to detonate near me, and in those moments I prayed. I survived, and so did my brothers-in-arms… I thank God for everything. May God grant peace and tranquillity to me, to my children Maria and Tadei, and to my wife Liliia.”
While presenting these items to Pope Leo, Cardinal Mykola expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the Holy Father’s prayers and for all the efforts he continues to make in pursuit of a just peace in Ukraine. The Bishop also conveyed to Pope Leo greetings from the faithful of Australia and Ukraine.
