STORY: Pope Leo XIV met on Sunday (June 28) with the pilgrims of the Ukrainian Catholic Church who travelled to Rome on the occasion of the Holy Year, expressing his closeness to their "martyred" country.

"I share your sorrow for the prisoners and victims of this senseless war," the pontiff said in his address to the faithful members in St Peter's Basilica, turning his thoughts to the families who mourn their loved ones.

At the end of the meeting, Leo greeted the members of the clergy sitting in the front rows, one of whom gifted him with a Ukrainian flag.

The senior archbishop of Kyiv, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, who presided over the ceremony alongside the pope, then offered him a book entitled ‘Chronicle of a sacrilegious war.’

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: VATICAN CITY (JUNE 28, 2025) (VATICAN MEDIA - Access all)

1. POPE LEO WALKING DOWN AISLE IN ST PETER'S BASILICA WITH MAJOR ARCHBISHOP OF KYIV, SVIATOSLAV SHEVCHUK

2. TOP VIEW OF BASILICA

3. POPE TALKING TO SHEVCHUK

4. POPE WALKING TO THRONE

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) POPE LEO SAYING:

"The faith of your people is now being put to a hard test. Many of you, since the war began, have surely wondered: Lord, why all this? Where are you? What shall we do to save our families, our homes, our homeland?"

6. FAITHFUL LISTENING

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) POPE LEO SAYING (BITE STARTS ON SHOT OF CLERGYMEN LISTENING):

"Sisters and brothers, by welcoming you here, I wish to express my closeness to the martyred Ukraine: to the children, the young, the elderly, and especially to the families who mourn their loved ones. I share your sorrow for the prisoners and victims of this senseless war. I entrust to the Lord your intentions, your daily struggles and tragedies, and above all your desires for peace and serenity."

8. CLERGYMEN APPLAUDING

9. POPE AND SHEVCHUK SHAKING HANDS

10. UKRAINE FLAG

11. WOMAN PRAYING WITH UKRAINIAN FLAG AROUND ARM

12. VARIOUS OF CLERGYMEN GREETING POPE

13. CLERGYMAN GIVING POPE UKRAINIAN FLAG

14. VARIOUS OF SHEVCHUK GIVING POPE BOOK ENTITLED (Spanish) "Chronicle of a sacrilegious war"

15. POPE WAVING TO FAITHFUL

16. POPE WAVING TO FAITHFUL AND LEAVING