On June 13—the day after the celebration of Pentecost according to the Julian calendar—Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, welcomed a comment made by Pope Francis the previous day.

“The thought of the people of Ukraine, afflicted by war, remains vivid in my heart,” Pope Francis said on June 12. “Let the passage of time not temper our grief and concern for that suffering population. Please, let us not grow accustomed to this tragic situation! Let us always keep it in our hearts. Let us pray and strive for peace.”

The Major Archbishop said, “Today, I would like to especially thank the Holy Father, Pope Francis, for calling on the conscience of people around the world yesterday, as we celebrated Pentecost, not to get used to war!”