Pope to visit Ukraine in June (11/12/00)

Pope to visit Ukraine in June

Vatican cites plans for meetings with Church leaders

by Roman Woronowycz
Kyiv Press Bureau

KYIV - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on November 7 that Pope John Paul II would visit Ukraine in June of next year. Ihor Hrushko, chief press spokesman of the ministry, disclosed that the Vatican's papal nuncio in Kyiv had confirmed the June date several days ago.

Ukraine's nearly 4 million Ukrainian Greek-Catholics regard the pontiff as their spiritual leader and have pushed for his visit for several years. President Leonid Kuchma originally invited Pope John Paul to Ukraine in 1998. The visit was delayed, first due to the presidential election held in 1999 and the campaign season that preceded it and then because of the pope's busy schedule associated with Millennium celebrations in 2000.

President Kuchma reconfirmed his invitation to Pope John Paul II this year, and the Vatican finally agreed. Mr. Hrushko announced that the pope's trip would be a state visit.

Although the faithful of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church in Ukraine will undoubtedly greet the announcement with joy and anticipation, there are concerns that the larger Orthodox Church may cause problems. Leaders of the three Orthodox Churches in Ukraine - the Moscow Patriarchate's affiliate most vehemently - have resisted such a visit on the grounds that the pope's appearance in Ukraine would increase friction between the Catholics and the Orthodox, who often have been at odds.

In a related development, the Vatican on November 6 denied a newspaper report that Pope John Paul II would retire this Christmas. The Vatican responded to a report in the German newspaper Bild by stating that it was baseless and citing the planned trip to Ukraine as proof that the pontiff remains active as the head of the Catholic Church.

A high-ranking official from the Vatican was quoted in The New York Times as saying that the pope's plans for visiting Ukraine are not yet complete. "We have contacts with all three Orthodox Churches, and this pope will want to meet with all Church leaders, Orthodox, Catholic and any other religion," the official said, adding, "It all depends on their willingness to do so."

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