“I continue to follow with deep concern the ongoing and escalating violence in the Holy Land, where, in recent days, many civilians, both in the West Bank and in Gaza, have once again fallen victim,” the pope said.
Middle East
Posted inVatican Dispatch
Pope Leo appoints Lebanese-born archbishop as Permanent Observer to the UN
The Lebanese-born Maronite Catholic archbishop Christophe-Zakhia El-Kassis will become the Holy See’s new Permanent Observer to the United Nations in New York, succeeding Archbishop Gabriele Caccia.
Posted inNews
Lebanon’s cardinal urges prayer as country’s Christian president meets with Trump to talk peace
Joseph Aoun, a Maronite Christian, is the first Lebanese head of state in nearly 20 years to visit the White House, where he will meet President Trump face-to-face for the first time.
Posted inThe Weekly Dispatch
Trump’s attacks on Pope Leo shine light on church’s teaching on nuclear weapons
Mr. Trump—and perhaps many American Catholics—may be surprised to discover how far the church has moved in recent years on moral questions related to nuclear weapons.
Posted inNews
Pope Leo comforts 13 priests from southern Lebanon with a surprise video call from Rome
Pope Leo XIV surprised 13 priests from southern Lebanon, near the border with Israel, by joining a video call from Rome on Wednesday, telling them they were in his prayers and that he hoped peace would soon prevail along the tense frontier.
Posted inNews
Benedictine abbot warns of Holy Land becoming ‘Christian Disneyland’
The abbot of Dormition Abbey on Mount Zion fears that the “Holy Land could become a kind of ‘Christian Disneyland’” where holy places, monks and priests remain while there “may be no Christian families, no young Christians, no ordinary Christian life.”
Posted inNews
Lebanese Christians rejoice over new Christ statue brought by Italian soldiers after IDF desecration
Lebanese Christians in Debel are celebrating the gift of a new statue of Jesus on the cross after a recent act of desecration by two Israeli soldiers drew global outrage.
Posted inDispatches
The war’s impact on the ‘forgotten’ Christians of Lebanon and Israel
The conflict between the Israeli military and Hezbollah militia has deeply affected Lebanon’s most marginalized populations.
Posted inNews
Pope Leo urges an Easter end to the US-Israel war on Iran, calling for dialogue
“I’m told that President Trump has recently stated that he would like to end the war,’’ the U.S.-born pope said. “I hope that he’s looking for an off-ramp.’’
Posted inShort Take
Praying for good news about the war in Iran
Since the war began nearly four weeks ago, I have found myself checking headlines hourly. I brace for bad news, but hope for something good.