Roman Pope Thanks Ukraine for Christmas Tree

On Friday, December 16, 2011, at noon, Pope Benedict XVI received the Ukrainian delegation to thank them for the Christmas tree, which this year will decorate St. Peter's Square. The Ukrainian delegation included Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halych of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Patriarch Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Head of the Conference of Roman Catholic Bishops in Ukraine, Archbishop Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki and Bishop Milan Shashik C.M. of the Eparchy of Mukachevo of the Byzantine rite, as well as members of the Orthodox Church led by the Archbishop of Poltava and Myrhorod. So reported the Information Department f UGCC.

The government delegation was headed by Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Borys Kolesnikov. It included the Ambassador of Ukraine at the Apostolic Capital, heads of the Transcarpathian and Lviv Regional State Administrations, the mayor of Lviv, and representatives of institutions that were involved in the transportation of the trees.

Speaking at the meeting with the pope, Kolesnikov expressed hope that the event “will further strengthen our own national traditions and help to understand their deeper meaning.” He thanked the pope for his attention to the situation in Ukraine: “In August of this year, our fellow citizens respectfully accepted your warm congratulations from Castel Gandolfo on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Ukrainian independence,” said the Vice Prime Minister, and in conclusion presented to the pope an icon of the Council Fathers of the Kyiv Cave Monastery.

“Dear brothers and sisters! I am pleased to receive you and to each of you I express my sincere congratulations,” Pope Benedict XVI began his speach in Ukrainian.

Then, speaking in Italian, the Holy Father greeted those present and through them – all Ukrainians in their homeland and scattered across the world.

“This Christmas tree will stand near the Nativity till the end of the Christmas celebrations, so that it may be admired by the residents of Rome and pilgrims who come here from every part of the world. It is an eloquent symbol of Christmas because its ever-green branches symbolize life, the Christmas tree is also a sign of the national religiosity of your land and the Christian roots of your culture,” said the pope.

Pope Benedict XVI expressed hope that these roots will strengthen national unity and help to spread authentic and shared values. “Let your pilgrimage evoke in the whole Ukrainian Christian community a renewed desire to happily live by faith and to witness it and promote the values of life, solidarity and peace, which Christ’s Nativity reminds us of,” he said, urging to better prepare for the meeting with the newborn Savior.

“Once again I thank all of you, your co-workers, who remained in their homeland and those who helped transport the trees,” said Pope Benedict XVI, again in Ukrainian. “Thank you for the contribution that each of you made ​​with great generosity. I’d like to use this opportunity to express my best wishes on the occasion of the upcoming Christmas and Christmas holidays. I assure constant remembrance in prayer of you, your families, Ukraine and all Ukrainians, from the depth of my heart, I give you my Apostolic Blessing. Merry Christmas!”