Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D. Bishop | Archdiocese of Louisville

Pope Francis prayed in thanksgiving for the release of two Ukrainian Catholic priests who were held in Russian captivity for more than 19 months, calling on Christians to pray for the release of all prisoners of war.

"I give thanks to God for the freeing of the two Greek Catholic priests," he said after praying the Angelus on June 29, the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. "May all the prisoners of this war soon return home."

The pope expressed his sorrow for all people suffering because of war around the world, asking Christians to "pray for all populations wounded and threatened by fighting, that God may free them and support them in the struggle for peace."

The two priests, Redemptorist Fathers Ivan Levytsky and Bohdan Geleta, were arrested in the occupied city of Berdyansk on Nov. 16, 2022, according to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. The church reported that military items were placed in a church in town, leading to their arrest for "illegal possession of weapons."

In a June 28 post on its website, the church noted reports that the priests were tortured while in captivity to solicit a confession.

Fathers Levytsky and Geleta were among ten prisoners released to Ukrainian authorities. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged their release in a June 28 post on X.

"I would also like to recognize the Holy See's efforts to bring these people home," Zelenskyy said.

Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets told Interfax news agency on June 29 that this marked the first time Vatican mediation played a role in repatriating Ukrainian adults. Previously, they had only assisted in returning children to Ukraine. Lubinets mentioned that the Ukrainian government is "in direct communication" with the Vatican and expressed hope that "a new channel of communication and return of Ukrainian civilians has finally opened."

In a June 29 statement, Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk thanked Pope Francis for his involvement as well as Cardinals Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State; Matteo Zuppi of Bologna; and Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas, nuncio in Ukraine.

Archbishop Shevchuk wrote that more clergy members are among thousands of Ukrainians remaining in Russian captivity. He called on everyone "to engage in the struggle to obtain the release of all Ukrainian prisoners, including civilians, as their detention violates all international norms, practices of conducting war and international law as such."