Political expert: Pope's arrival in Ukraine to step up UGCC expansion

Vladimir Zelensky and Pope Francis. Photo: twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa

If the head of the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) Pope Francis accepts an invitation from Vladimir Zelensky to come to Ukraine to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Independence, the UGCC will seek the maximum benefit from this visit for its expansion in the country, Mikhail Pogrebinsky, a Ukrainian political analyst and strategist said in a comment for the UOJ.

He believes that, despite the significance of the figure of Pope Francis in the world, his visit, if it takes place altogether, will not considerably enhance the influence of the UGCC in Ukraine. “The Greek Catholics would like to try to use this visit for expansion. To be honest, though,ec I do not believe in these prospects,” the expert said. According to Pogrebinsky, the pope did not publicly position himself as an enemy of Orthodoxy, therefore his arrival is unlikely to worsen the attitude of the Ukrainian authorities towards the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

As the UOJ reported, Zelensky invited Pope Francis to the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's independence.

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