NAIROBI, Kenya — As the world prepares to bid farewell to Pope Francis in a grand funeral at St. Peter’s Square, there’s a somber undercurrent coming from a war-torn corner of Europe.
While millions remember him as a global spiritual leader, many Ukrainians will remember something else — his silence, his neutrality, and a few words they say cut too deep.
Mourning the Man, Questioning the Message
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will attend Saturday’s funeral, standing among dignitaries and faithful mourners. Yet back home, public sentiment is far more complicated.
Despite his calls for peace, Pope Francis never set foot in Ukraine. Worse still, he drew fire when he suggested Ukraine should consider raising the “white flag” and enter negotiations with Russia.
In a controversial March 2024 interview with Swiss broadcaster RTS, Francis said, “Whoever has the courage to raise the white flag is stronger.” That remark sent Ukrainian officials — and citizens — into an uproar.
“Our flag is yellow and blue,” then-Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba snapped back. “We shall never raise any other flag.” He even compared the Pope’s position to the Catholic Church’s inaction during the rise of Nazi Germany — a historical wound that still stings.
From Hopes to Heartbreak: What Ukrainians Expected
There was a time when many Ukrainians hoped Pope Francis would follow in the footsteps of Pope John Paul II, who boldly stood against Communism in Eastern Europe.
But instead of fiery speeches or symbolic visits, Francis offered broad calls for peace and reconciliation — language that often felt detached from the brutal reality of Russia’s invasion.
“He did not really understand and was not even trying to understand what was happening here,” a senior Ukrainian official told AFP, attributing the pope’s perspective to “Marxist-influenced” ideas and ignorance of Eastern Europe’s context.
One infamous moment early in the war made things worse: the Vatican asked a Ukrainian and a Russian woman to carry a cross together during a Good Friday ceremony.
Though meant as a gesture of peace, it was seen by Ukrainians as tone-deaf and premature. Even Ukrainian media refused to broadcast the event. Bishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, called it “ambiguous” and “inappropriate.”
Between Two Worlds: Francis’ Legacy in Ukraine
It wasn’t all disappointment. Ukrainian officials acknowledged the Vatican’s behind-the-scenes help in prisoner exchanges and repatriating children taken from occupied zones.
Still, for many, those efforts didn’t outweigh the Pope’s refusal to clearly name Russia as the aggressor.
Analyst Mykola Davydiuk said Ukrainians viewed the Pope not just as a spiritual leader, but as a political figure — and felt let down when he didn’t meet that expectation.
Political scientist Volodymyr Fesenko added that many Ukrainians were frustrated by what they saw as “capitulatory” language and an interest skewed more toward Russia.
As tributes and reflections flood social media ahead of the funeral, the tone in Ukraine is deeply mixed.
Some offer prayers; others, like popular blogger Igor Lachenkov, posted memes mocking the Pope’s legacy — one using AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell.”
Final Farewell, Lingering Wounds
The funeral of Pope Francis will be held on Saturday, April 26, at 10:00 AM in St. Peter’s Square.
But in Ukraine, mourning is layered with regret. Despite Vatican diplomacy and peace-building efforts, Francis’ perceived neutrality and controversial remarks left scars that won’t heal easily.
In a war where symbolism matters, words — or the lack of them — can wound. And for many Ukrainians, Pope Francis’ legacy is less about the man who prayed for peace, and more about the shepherd who stayed too far from the battlefield.
