Vatican Issues Postage Stamp Featuring Kyiv's Greek Catholic Cathedral in Darkness

The Vatican Post has issued a postage stamp that in an extremely eloquent way combines religious symbolism with the current armed conflict. The design shows the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Kyiv, the main temple of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, plunged into darkness, illuminated only from behind by the orange glow of the evening sky. The issue, available from February 26, 2026, was prepared in the week marking the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. For observers, this is a clear, albeit symbolic, departure from the traditionally apolitical line of Vatican philately. The Vatican postal service typically focuses on religious motifs, saints, or church anniversaries, avoiding direct references to contemporary political events. This time, by visually showing the effects of war – power supply interruptions – the Vatican Post made an unusual gesture of solidarity. The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, which is subordinate to the Pope but retains the Byzantine liturgical rite, was brutally persecuted during the Soviet Union era. Its structures were liquidated, and its activities were forced underground. Revival and legalization occurred after the fall of the USSR in the early 1990s. Therefore, the stamp commemorates not only the current suffering but also key milestones in the rebuilding of this community: the 30th anniversary of the restoration of the Kyiv Metropolis, the 20th anniversary of the transfer of leadership from Lviv to Kyiv, and the 12th anniversary of the consecration of the cathedral itself, which serves as a spiritual center for about four million faithful. Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, commented on the stamp's release during its Vatican presentation, saying: "We really feel embraced by the Holy See for this particular attention to our history." In Polish translation: "Naprawdę czujemy się objęci przez Stolicę Apostolską za tę szczególną uwagę dla naszej historii." He described it as a "great moment of consolation." His words underscore the importance the Greek Catholic hierarchy attaches to this gesture, seen as confirmation of ties with Rome and recognition of the church's difficult path. The issue is part of a broader series of six stamps, which also commemorate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Pope Pius XII and the 600th anniversary of the Marian apparitions at Monte Berico. In the context of the ongoing war and Russia's systematic destruction of Ukrainian energy infrastructure, the image of the dark cathedral gains particular, painful relevance, transforming an ordinary collector's item into a vehicle for an international appeal for peace and support.