Pope Leo XIV

The pope expressed his pride in Israel’s diverse and thriving Christian communities, who will gather at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem for an annual festive meeting in the coming weeks.

"It has become increasingly common to drag the language of faith into political battles, to bless nationalism, and to justify violence and armed struggle in the name of religion," said the pope.

The pope's comments echo Zelensky's frequent demands for a "just" peace as the Ukrainian leader tries to ensure that any agreement to end Russia's war in Ukraine is balanced.

Pope Leo has dissolved the Vatican's fundraising panel, created in Francis’s final months, and ordered a review of future efforts.

Pope Leo urged Lebanon's Christian, Sunni, Shi'ite Muslim, and Druze leaders to unite through respect and dialogue to heal the country after years of crisis.

Pro-Hezbollah media focused on the Pope's message of dialogue but fears the visit will be merely symbolic, failing to address the "real challenges" facing the country.

"We all know that at this time Israel still does not accept that solution, but we see it as the only solution," Leo, the first US pope, told journalists on a flight from Turkey to Lebanon.

Pope Leo XIV begins a three-day visit to Lebanon, meeting leaders, touring five cities, and honoring victims of the 2020 Beirut port explosion.

Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rahi urged Hezbollah to break from Iran and give its weapons to the Lebanese Army, calling diplomacy the only path to avoid another war.

Catholic leaders visited the basilica beneath Lake Iznik, believed to be the site of the First Council of Nicaea, after falling water levels revealed the submerged ruins.