In a deeply moving encounter on Thursday morning, His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Major Archbishop of Kyiv and head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, met with Pope Leo XIV in a private audience at the Library of the Apostolic Palace.

During the meeting, Archbishop Shevchuk expressed his heartfelt gratitude to  Pope for his recent words during the "Regina Caeli" on 11 May. In his message, Pope Leo had called attention to the ongoing suffering of the Ukrainian people, urging the international community to seek “an authentic, just and lasting peace” in Ukraine. He also appealed for the release of all prisoners and the safe return of children who had been taken away during the conflict.

According to a statement from the Greek Catholic Secretariat, Pope’s compassionate message was described as “a true spiritual balm for the wounded soul of the Ukrainian people.”

As a gesture of gratitude, Archbishop Shevchuk presented Pope Leo with a powerful and symbolic painting entitled "Requiem Prayer". The artwork, created by Ukrainian artist Bohdan Pylypiv — whose son died in the war — vividly portrays the pain and resilience of the Ukrainian people amidst their suffering.

The meeting underscored the Vatican’s ongoing concern for the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and the Church’s solidarity with those affected by war.