Pope Leo XIV calls for prayers for peace in Ukraine

July 11, 2026 · 1 min read

In a letter to Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, his Special Envoy to the celebrations marking the 35th anniversary of the restoration of the Latin Rite Church's structures in Ukraine, Pope Leo XIV recalls the Church's twentieth-century persecution and urges prayers for peace, for families, and for all those suffering because of the war.

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Source: Vatican News · Read the full story →

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Petr Novák

Prayers for peace in Ukraine are needed, that is clear. The Pope mentions the persecution of the Church in the 20th century, which reminded me of how we had it in our country. I hope those prayers really do come together.

Pavel Černý

I agree, we really need those prayers. It was similar with us under the communists, my husband told me how his uncle had to celebrate mass secretly in the apartment. What do you think would help if we regularly included it in our parish after the Sunday liturgy?

Sarah Evans

Yes, adding it regularly after Sunday liturgy would be a good idea – my daughters already light a candle for Ukraine each week. The part about 20th-century persecution hit home; we heard similar stories from our Czech friends who came through Toronto years ago.

Petar Marković

Prayers for peace are certainly needed, that is true. In our country, they also persecuted the Church after the war, I remember the stories from the parish about how they hid the priests. Would it make sense to introduce a regular commemoration in our parish after the Sunday liturgy, as Pavel suggests?

Тодор Кирилов

Prayers for peace are needed, yes. Remembering the persecutions in the 20th century seemed important to me - we in Bulgaria also went through something similar under the communists. Maybe in our church we can add a short prayer after the Sunday liturgy, as Paul suggests, and see how it goes.

Vladimir Ilić

Prayers are certainly needed, Petre, and in our country, after the war, the priests were known to hide in the villages around Podgorica, just as you say. A regular commemoration after the Sunday liturgy would make sense, but I would prefer that we first ask the parish priest what he thinks - so that it is not just our idea. What specifically do you suggest we mention in that regard?

Michal Černý

I agree, those secret masses in apartments were also common here, my husband told me similar stories about it from Brno. Regularly after the Sunday liturgy, it could help, especially if we connect it with specific names of people from Ukraine that we know. What exactly would you suggest for the text of the prayer?

Mark Wilson

That’s a solid idea about adding it after Sunday liturgy. My girls are a bit younger but they’ve started asking about the candles too after hearing the old stories from our priest. Did your Czech friends ever mention how the underground Church kept going during the worst years?

Paul Davis

Yeah, the underground Church in Czechoslovakia was something else—my Czech buddy’s grandma used to hide priests in their attic for weeks at a time and cook them simple potato soups so nobody would notice extra food. We should light those candles after liturgy like you said; my daughter’s the same age as yours and already wants to know why we pray for Ukraine every Sunday. Did the old stories your priest tells ever get into how they passed messages between parishes?

Ivana Kostić

Vladimir, I agree that we should first hear from the parish priest, so that it is not just our idea. I would suggest that they pray for the families who were left without fathers and sons, as well as for those who are still in exile. And you, what exactly would you add to those prayers?

Aleksandar Radovanović

Ivana, I agree, prayers for families without fathers and sons are in order, and also for those in exile. I would also add to mention those who are fighting to restore peace in their homes, without any political words. What do you think, should we suggest it to the parish priest already next week?

Aleksandar Radovanović

Ivana, I agree with your proposal for families without fathers and sons and those in exile. I would also add a prayer for those who work in the fields and gardens and have no peace even for the basics, because the war has disrupted everything for them. Shall we write it down together and take it to the parish priest after the liturgy?