The death of Pope Francis shocked the entire world, and for good reason. While the office of the pope has always been respected, Francis was particularly popular around the globe for practicing what he preached. After years of biblical writings being used to condemn so-called sinners, Francis spent much of his time in office rallying for progressive causes and for the unconditional love of all God’s children.
One person particularly shocked by the pope’s death was Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The Ukrainian president attended Francis’ funeral and paid his final respects, and he likely found the entire service quite surreal. That’s because Zelenskyy and Francis had a very complex relationship that most of the world never knew about.
What was the nature of that relationship? And what had these two been fighting about over the years when everyone expected them to come together? Keep reading to find out!
Pope Francis makes history from beyond the grave
As noted before, Pope Francis was historic in many ways, including his reputation among liberals and conservatives. He was the ultimate religious leader who also happened to be a paragon of progressive values. Now that he is gone, it may be decades (if not centuries) before we see another pope like him.
Interestingly, Francis also made history from beyond the grave. That’s because he was the first pope in over 120 years to not be buried at the Vatican, choosing instead Rome’s Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore as his final resting place. Over a quarter of a million people attended his funeral at St. Peter’s Square, including Volodymyr Zelenskyy. And while these two men ultimately reconciled, their relationship was characterized by a surprising amount of conflict over one particular issue: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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The Pope’s surprising reaction to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
Just as the world was shocked by the death of Pope Francis, we were aghast at an earlier event: Russia’s sudden invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Most immediately sided with Ukraine, seeing them as a smaller nation that was being attacked by one of the world’s greatest bullies. As for Francis, he was sympathetic to Ukraine, but his early comments about the invasion earned him some major criticism.
As reported by Reuters, Francis said, “The strongest one is the one who looks at the situation, thinks about the people, and has the courage of the white flag, and negotiates.” Continuing, he claimed, “When you see that you are defeated, that things are not going well, you have to have the courage to negotiate.”
Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded a few days later without mentioning the Pope by name. As reported by the BBC, he said, “They are on the frontline, protecting life and humanity, supporting with prayer, conversation, and deeds.” Continuing, he made a very pointed statement: “This is what the church is – it is together with people, not two-and-a-half thousand kilometres away somewhere, virtually mediating between someone who wants to live and someone who wants to destroy you.”
Volodymyr Zelenskyy meets Pope Francis amid controversy
While Volodymyr Zelenskyy seemed to have no great love for Francis’ comments, that didn’t keep him from meeting the pope on several occasions. They last met in October 2024, but that didn’t mean they necessarily saw eye to eye on the Ukraine/Russia issue. In December 2024, Francis referred to Russia and Ukraine as “brothers,” a comment which rubbed many the wrong way because it implied a completely non-existent affection.
Still, Pope Francis seemed to soften his tone regarding the conflict in other public statements. As reported by Vatican News, he later called Russia’s invasion “a painful and shameful occasion for all of humanity!” In that same speech, he declared his desire to “renew my solidarity with the martyred Ukrainian people.”
Now that Francis is gone, some are debating whether he could have said or done more to help the Ukrainians he felt such solidarity with. For example, he could have more stridently condemned Russia and not told Ukraine to surrender to their invader. However, defenders of Francis point out that someone who so closely adheres to the teaching of Jesus will always encourage the quickest path to peace, even if that means surrender.
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Zelenskyy mourns the death of Francis
Obviously, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Pope Francis didn’t always see eye to eye on Russia’s invasion. But that didn’t keep the Ukrainian president from attending the pope’s funeral and paying his final respects. Before the service, Zelenskyy took to X (formerly Twitter) and expressed “condolences,” noting that “We remember his prayers for peace in Ukraine.”
The Ukrainian president also hopes that the pope’s attitude will inspire other national and spiritual leaders. “Ukraine needs the support of religious communities — spiritual diplomacy, the diplomacy of values, always helps. This was the central focus of our meeting. It is important to continue engaging with our international partners”.
Together, we mourn the death of Pope Francis. With any luck, his life will serve as an inspiration for the courage needed to support Ukraine and defend a beleaguered nation against its Russian invaders.