It would be a disaster if Pope Francis visited first Russia and then Ukraine. It is quite possible that after returning from Russia, the borders of Ukraine will be closed to him.
Archbishop-Metropolitan of the Lviv, RCC in Ukraine Mieczyslaw Mokrzytcki said in an interview with the German weekly "Die Tagespost", according to Gość.Pl.
"We are very grateful to the Holy Father for being close to the Ukrainian people with his prayers and many appeals from the very beginning," Archbishop Mokshytsky said.
The Pope clearly said that Russia is invading Ukraine.
"Our faithful say that we must first approach the victim of the accident, the one who is suffering, and then the one who caused the accident, with all the gestures of the Holy Father towards Russia, but perhaps we do not understand his intentions and his policies well. Let's hope that the pope has good intentions and that his method of action will soon bring peace to Ukraine," the hierarch of the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine said.
He added that it is very likely that Pope Francis will visit Ukraine in August or September.
In the current war conditions, "We proclaim the Gospel, give the sacraments, and take care of the poor and sick. Now we appeal to the refugees who have lost everything, their homes and apartments," the Metropolitan of Lviv said.
He admitted that he is very happy with the faithful and priests who "opened their hearts and the doors of their homes." The Hierarch stressed that all Catholic priests remained in their parishes.
"This is a good sign. No one was afraid and left their parish and their flock," Archbishop Mokrzycki said.
Answering a question about the Ukrainian authorities imposing restrictions on the Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, Archbishop Mokrzycki criticized such actions.
"Personally, I believe that a Democratic state, like everywhere else in Europe, should provide full freedom of religion to everyone – whether they are Muslims, Jehovah's Witnesses or others. This is how it should be here in Ukraine," said the Acting Chairman of the Conference of the Latin Rite Bishops of Ukraine.