Inside Pope Francis and Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s connection

Pope Francis gained popularity as a result of his progressive views and the causes he supported. But some disagreed, even though many thought he led the Catholic Church in the right path. Francis was also involved in a few fairly contentious episodes during his 12-year pontificate, such as failing to take a strong stand against Russia following the invasion of Ukraine.

The pope’s funeral was attended by Volodymyr Zelenskyy. However, the pope’s position on the war has drawn criticism from Ukraine on multiple occasions. Let’s examine it more closely.

The final resting place for Pope Francis has been laid. He was the first pope to be buried outside of the Vatican in well than a century. In his will, Pope Francis, whose real name was Jorge Bergoglio, stated that he intended to be buried in Rome’s Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore and that his tomb should be “small, plain, and unadorned, with only the inscription: Franciscus.” On Saturday, around 250,000 people showed up for Francis’s funeral liturgy in the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Square.

Among those in attendance were members of royal families and foreign leaders, such as US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Before the funeral service started, Donald and Volodymyr met briefly inside St. Peter’s Basilica. The two are currently engaged in rigorous peace negotiations regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Many people think that since the Catholic Church is an old organization, everything should stay the same. Francis, however, had other plans, one of which was to remodel the church.

He gained notoriety for supporting progressive issues, such as aiding immigrants and the impoverished. Additionally, he was the first pope to express disapproval of legislation that penalize homosexuality.

Pope Francis received a lot of adulation, but there were also controversies. For instance, Pope Francis rejected Chilean rape survivors in the Catholic Church’s sexual abuse scandal. But he later expressed regret, describing it as a “severe error.” Additionally, he defrocked Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, who was found guilty by the Vatican of abusing both adults and children.

World leaders and dignitaries around the world expressed their support for Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy when Russia attacked the country in February 2022. However, when Pope Francis said in March 2024 that Ukraine should have “the courage to raise the white flag” and negotiate an end to the war, he drew scathing criticism and outrage.

Pope Francis stated that the one who considers the situation, considers the people, and has the guts to negotiate is the strongest. “You must have the guts to negotiate when you realize you are losing and that things are not going your way.”

Pope Francis’ suggestion was vehemently opposed by Ukraine. Even the leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic church chastised the pope, and the Vatican ambassador to Ukraine likened Francis’ remarks to those of supporters of Adolf Hitler during World War II. Only a few days later, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the topic in a speech.

He did not, however, specifically name Pope Francis. “They are on the front line, defending humanity and life, offering support through actions, words, and prayer,” Zelenskyy stated. “The church is with people, not two and a half thousand kilometers away, and it is essentially mediating between someone who wants to destroy you and someone who wants to live.”

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni later responded to the criticism by saying that Pope Francis had explicitly stated that “negotiations are never a surrender” and that he had “picked up the image of the white flag, proposed by the interviewer, to indicate… a truce reached with the courage of negotiation.”

The pope once again provoked intense reactions during a liturgy in December 2024 when he referred to Russia and Ukraine as “brothers.” Pope Francis addressed the war once more two months ago, on the third anniversary of the Russian full-scale invasion, describing it as “painful and shameful” and emphasizing that he remembered “martyred Ukraine.” “I ask you to remember the victims of all armed conflicts and to pray for the gift of peace in Palestine, Israel, and throughout the Middle East, in Myanmar, Kivu, and Sudan, as I renew my solidarity with the martyred Ukrainian people,” Pope Francis added.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Pope Francis had multiple meetings in the Vatican. They last met in October 2024, spending thirty-five minutes in the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican. The pope discussed the suffering of Ukrainian children with Zelenskyy, pointing out that many of them had lost the ability to smile, according to the Holy See Press Office at the time. “All nations have the right to exist in peace and security,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X shortly after the meeting.

Their sovereignty must be recognized and ensured via dialogue and peace, and their lands must not be attacked. Everyone dies and is destroyed by war and hatred. #Peace

Pope Francis, who has always advocated for peace, has supported Ukraine but has refrained from denouncing Russia for the invasion. A senior Ukrainian official, who wishes to remain nameless, said only days before the pope’s funeral that Pope Francis had not gone far enough in helping the war-torn nation fight Russia. The Ukrainian official claimed in an interview with AFP that Pope Francis had “complete ignorance of this part of the world.”

The official claimed that the pope “could have done incomparably more for Ukraine,” such as attempting to get additional nations to back Ukraine, and that “he did not really understand and was not even trying to understand what was happening here.”

Furthermore, according to the official, Pope Francis “refused to make a clear distinction” between Ukraine as the victim and Russia as the aggressor. Despite the harsh criticism, the official acknowledged the Vatican’s efforts to mediate prisoner exchanges and the repatriation of Ukrainian children who had been abducted from seized areas of the country to Russia.

Just weeks before he died, Pope Francis also gave Ukraine four ambulances as a gift. The ambulances, which were delivered to the regions most severely affected by Russia’s invasion, are emblazoned with the Vatican City State’s coat of arms.

World leaders, dignitaries, and members of royal families expressed their sorrow after Pope Francis passed away. In a long post on X, Volodymyr Zelenskyy also complimented the pope. Members of the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations were present at my meeting.

We were all informed of Pope Francis’s tragic death yesterday. My sympathies. Zelenskyy wrote, “We remember his prayers for peace in Ukraine.”

“This coming Saturday, our state will be represented at the goodbye ceremony in Rome. Even though it’s the week after Easter, Russian shelling and strikes continue to occur daily. All of us think that this Easter season can offer a chance to make the required moves in the direction of peace and quiet. Both a genuine ceasefire and a strong, long-lasting peace are required.

Religious communities must stand with Ukraine; spiritual diplomacy, or the diplomacy of principles, is always beneficial. Our meeting’s main focus was on this. Maintaining communication with our overseas partners is crucial.

“I thank the churches and religious organizations for every accomplishment in advocating for Ukraine, for their prayers, and for the support they have given to our people throughout the entire war,” the Ukrainian president said in closing.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his spouse, Olena Zelenska, went to St. Peter’s Square to attend Pope Francis’s funeral. The Ukrainian president and his spouse were sat in the first row as he entered the plaza and was met with cheers.

This time, there was an exception to the generally stringent seating customs and restrictions. The Holy See Press Office’s director, Matteo Bruni, told The Telegraph that Zelenskyy and his spouse occupied a “vacant place.” For years, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has not worn a suit.

The president has been dressed in battle gear, including boots, a sweatshirt with the Ukrainian national insignia, and khaki army pants, since the day martial law was imposed in response to Russia’s invasion.

“I will wear costume after this war will finish,” Zelenskyy said in response to a reporter’s query about his attire at a February meeting with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. He will continue to wear military attire to demonstrate his support for the Ukrainian soldiers battling the Russian army, regardless of what people think.

According to Elvira Gasanova, designer of the Damirli brand, which sells some of the clothes Zelenskyy frequently dons, “when world leaders see Zelenskyy in military style, it is a signal — ‘Ukraine is at war and I am part of this fight,'” she told Politico. The de facto demand to return to the standard framework of political dialogue—”enough of war, sit down at the negotiating table”—is embodied in a repeated appeal to return to the suit. “The traditional suit would be seen as a disassociation from the front reality,” she continued. Additionally, he uses his clothing to draw attention to the conflict in Ukraine.

Did Zelenskyy, then, make an exception for the funeral of Pope Francis? Olena Zelenska, his wife, was dressed in a black skirt and shirt and black high-heeled boots. Zelenskyy, meanwhile, opted for a fitted military-style field jacket rather than a suit. Male guests were instructed to dress in a dark suit with a long black tie and a black button on the left side of the jacket, according to Women’s Wear Daily. Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not entirely depart from his wartime clothing or follow the dress rules. Nevertheless, he paid his respects to Pope Francis and said his final goodbyes in person, despite the fact that his nation is engaged in a war.

Do you believe that Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s attire at the funeral of Pope Francis was appropriate? Or do you think he ought to have dressed in a suit? Please let us know what you think by sharing this post on Facebook!