Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church to Nuncio: "We are grateful that in this difficult time the Holy Father is together with the suffering people of Ukraine."

You as his messenger attended even those places where our bishops can not get to accomplish their pastoral ministry [meaning territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions temporarily under control of Russia-backed militants, RISU]. To the parishes in Donetsk and Luhansk, over which we have a duty to care, a hand of the Church reached through your visit”, said the patriarch

January 28 after the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy in the church of the Holy Eucharist in Lviv on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the first Catholic school in Ukraine - Sheptytsky Gymnasium, in which the Apostolic Nuncio in Ukraine, Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti took part, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Sviatoslav Shevchuk thanked Nuncio and Holy Father that "in this difficult time the Holy Father is together with the suffering people of Ukraine.

"You as his messenger attended even those places where our bishops can not get to accomplish their pastoral ministry [meaning territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions temporarily under control of Russia-backed militants, RISU]. To the parishes in Donetsk and Luhansk, over which we have a duty to care, a hand of the Church reached through your visit”, said the patriarch.

He also thanked the Pope himself: “Through you, I would like to express our love and loyalty to the Holy Father, and that unity which was sealed by the blood of martyrs and confessors of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church of the XX century. And believe me, no political conjuncture or geopolitical games will never break this unity sealed with the blood of martyrs. So may the Lord bless you in your mission and send you the Holy Spirit", he UGCC information department informs.