Elensky: The Pope's Visit to Ukraine Led to Two Maidans
The head of the SSetnrfc stated that John Paul II's visit in 2001 was "a colossal step away from Moscow" and predetermined the waves of protests in Ukraine.
Viktor Yelensky, head of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience, stated that Pope John Paul II's visit to Ukraine in 2001 was "a colossal step away from Moscow" and directly predetermined two Maidans. This was reported by the SSEFС press service.
The statement was made on June 16, 2026, at the presentation of a commemorative postage stamp at St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Church in Kyiv, dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the papal visit. According to Yelensky, John Paul II made significant efforts to "pull Central and Eastern Europe out of the Yalta system" — the post-war division of spheres of influence among the victorious powers. Representatives of the Office of the President, the OCU, and the UGCC were present at the event.
By "two Maidans," Yelensky refers to the Orange Revolution of 2004 and the Euromaidan of 2013–2014.
John Paul II visited Ukraine from June 23 to 27, 2001. It was the first visit in history by the head of the Roman Catholic Church to a country with a predominantly Orthodox population. At the presentation, it was also noted that Ukraine today is "fully open" to a new papal visit and that such an initiative would receive comprehensive support from the authorities.
Previously, the UOJ reported that the authorities of the Lviv region called on Zelensky to invite the Pope to Ukraine.
