Andriy Yurash was appointed the fourth Ambassador to the Holy See by the president of Ukraine on December 14 last year after diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Ukraine were established 30 years ago.
On Thursday, April 7, 2022, Pope Francis received his credentials as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the Holy See Andriy Yurash. A personal audience took place in the morning. While non-resident ambassadors arrive at the Vatican in a group and have a joint meeting during which the Pope delivers a speech, resident ambassadors have a private audience, the content of which the Holy See usually does not make public, reports Vatican Radio.
On February 8, 1992, Pope John Paul II founded the Apostolic Nunciature in Ukraine. This date is considered the beginning of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Ukraine, which turned 30 years old this year. After establishing diplomatic relations, Ukraine's contacts with the Vatican were carried out through the Ukrainian Embassy in Italy.
Only on September 9, 1998, the ambassador of Ukraine to the Swiss Confederation Nina Kovalska, was concurrently appointed Ambassador of Ukraine to the Holy See, having performed this mission until June 19, 2003. From March 5, 2004, to June 14, 2006, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the Vatican was Grigory Khoruzhy. On December 11, 2006, the President of Ukraine appointed Tetiana Izhevska, who headed the representative office of Ukraine to the Holy See until July 19, 2019, as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the Vatican.
Thus, Andriy Yurash, who was appointed by the president of Ukraine on December 14, 2021, became the 4th Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Vatican.