On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the suppression of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church by the Soviet regime, scholar George Weigel outlined the contours of a possible renewal of relations between Rome and the Orthodox Churches. Speaking at an academic conference, the biographer of St. John Paul II suggested that the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV could mark a turning point in an ecumenical dialogue often marked by history and geopolitical tensions.
Gathered for a symposium titled "The Pseudo-Sobor, 80 Years Later: The Persecution Continues," experts examined the traumas of the past to better understand current challenges, particularly in the context of the war in Ukraine. The event was jointly organized by the Center for Ukrainian Studies at The Catholic University of America, the Ukrainian University, and the St. Gabriel Institute.
For George Weigel, the current pontiff, though in office for less than eleven months, demonstrates a pragmatic and clear-sighted approach to the realities of Eastern Europe. Unlike his predecessors, who sometimes carried a complex historical legacy in their relations with Orthodoxy, Leo XIV would have a new freedom of action. "He is a deliberate man," emphasized the author, expressing confidence in the Holy Father's ability to reframe the terms of engagement with the Eastern Churches, while calling for patience in the face of a necessarily lengthy work of reform.
The heart of this evolution, according to Mr. Weigel, lies in a shift of the diplomatic and theological focus. Instead of concentrating efforts on the question of primacy, a subject of age-old discord, the dialogue would benefit from orienting itself toward social doctrine and Church-State relations. The scholar argues that Orthodoxy struggles today to define an ecclesial model suited to the 21st century, particularly in the face of challenges posed by national conflicts.
The proposal submitted to the Holy See would consist of offering the Catholic experience in matters of religious freedom as a field for exchange. "It took us at least two hundred years to understand the post-Constantinian period and integrate religious freedom into our own theological framework as a fundamental human right," recalled George Weigel. This approach of reciprocal humility would allow Rome to break out of old diplomatic deadlocks by proposing collaboration on the challenges of modernity.
This reflection takes place within the painful memory of the "Pseudo-Sobor" of March 1946. Katerina Budz, a researcher present on the panel, recalled the dramatic circumstances of this forced synod, orchestrated by Stalin's regime after the annexation of Western Ukraine. As early as April 1945, the Soviet authorities had proceeded to arrest Metropolitan Josyf Slipyj and the entire Greek Catholic episcopate.
Deprived of their shepherds, priests and faithful found themselves under unbearable pressure. The "Pseudo-Sobor" then enacted the brutal severing of ties with the Vatican and the forced incorporation of the Greek Catholic Church into the Orthodox Patriarchate of Moscow. "Imagine your bishop imprisoned and the constant threat of suffering the same fate if you did not agree to join the initiative group," explained Ms. Budz, highlighting the heroic dilemma of the local clergy, caught between fidelity to Rome, the survival of their families, and the pastoral care of their parishioners.
In recalling these dark hours, the participants emphasized that the memory of the persecution remains a driving element of Catholic identity in Ukraine. For George Weigel, it is precisely by relying on a clear vision of this history and a solid social doctrine that Pope Leo XIV will, in time, be able to open new paths of communication with the Orthodox world.