UWC joins the Catholic community in mourning the death of Pope Francis

The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) is deeply saddened by the passing of Pope Francis and joins the global Catholic community in prayer and mourning. 

Pope Francis, head of the Roman Catholic Church, died on Easter Monday, April 21, at the age of 88, according to the Vatican as reported by Reuters.

The Pontiff made his final public appearance on Easter Sunday, April 20, from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica.

“May the risen Christ grant Ukraine, devastated by war, his Easter gift of peace, and encourage all parties involved to pursue efforts aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace,” he said in what would be his last Easter message.

“The global Ukrainian community is deeply grieved by the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis this morning,” said the UWC President Paul Grod. “We share his call for justice for Ukraine. His words about the need for continued efforts by all sides remain profoundly relevant in the pursuit of a just and lasting peace.”

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Pope Francis was the first Latin American to lead the Roman Catholic Church when he was elected on March 13, 2013. He also became the first pope from the New World, the Southern Hemisphere, and from outside Catholic Europe. Before him, the last non-European pope was Gregory III, a Syrian, more than a thousand years ago.

Pope Francis had a special bond with the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), shaped by his early mentorship under Ukrainian priest Stefan Czmil. This influence gave him a deep appreciation for the Eastern Christian tradition and the UGCC.

One of the key moments in this relationship came in 2015 when Pope Francis recognised the “heroic virtues” of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky – a significant step toward his beatification, according to the UGCC.

In another milestone, in December 2024, Pope Francis elevated Bishop Mykola Bychok of the UGCC Eparchy of Melbourne to the rank of cardinal – a powerful recognition of the Ukrainian Catholic community on the global stage.