The story behind young woman who wept while hugging Pope Leo in Beirut December 5, 2025By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, Vatican, World News As Pope Leo XIV was wrapping up his first apostolic trip to Turkey and Lebanon recently, the world was moved by the sight of a young Lebanese woman crying and hugging the pontiff as he was meeting with victims of the deadly 2020 Beirut port explosion.
Pope asks Michael Bublé, other artists to give their best for poor December 5, 2025By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Arts & Culture, News, Vatican, World News Pope Leo XIV asked Canadian singer Michael Bublé and other artists to do their very best when performing a Christmas concert for the poor.
Holy See at UN calls for end to Russia’s war in Ukraine ‘right now’ December 4, 2025By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News The Holy See’s diplomatic mission to the United Nations called for an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine “not at some undefined moment in the future, but right now.”
Papal commission votes against ordaining women deacons December 4, 2025By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: deacons, Feature, News, Vatican, World News A commission set up by Pope Francis to study women deacons has voted against the possibility of ordaining women deacons while also supporting more study on the issue.
Pope Leo’s childhood home in Chicago suburb now a historic landmark December 3, 2025By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: News, Vatican, World News Pope Leo XIV’s childhood home just outside of Chicago has been declared a historic landmark.
Unity, dialogue, respect: On first trip, pope highlights paths to peace December 3, 2025By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Spending time with Catholics, other Christian leaders and top Muslim clerics in Turkey Nov. 27-Nov. 30 and Lebanon Nov. 30-Dec. 2, the pope made formal speeches about how believing in God as the father of all means recognizing one another as brothers and sisters.
Pope Leo is first pontiff to go to St. Charbel’s tomb; visit is source of ‘great joy’ for Lebanon December 3, 2025By Isabella H. de Carvalho OSV News Filed Under: News, Saints, Vatican, World News On the second leg of his apostolic journey that took him to Lebanon, Pope Leo XIV prayed at the tomb of St. Charbel on Dec. 1.
Pope tells reporters dialogue is always the answer to tense situations December 2, 2025By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations, News, Vatican, World News At the end of his first foreign trip as pope, a trip focused on dialogue, Pope Leo XIV said the examples of friendship and respect he had seen could be a helpful example for people in North America and Europe, too.
Choose the way of peace, pope says as he leaves Lebanon December 2, 2025By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Pope Leo XIV ended his stay in Lebanon with what he termed “a heartfelt appeal: may the attacks and hostilities cease.”
Lebanese have what is needed to build a future of peace, pope says December 1, 2025By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, Vatican, World News Even in the face of difficulties and the constant threat of war, the young people of Lebanon and the country’s religious leaders have enormous resources that can build a better future for all people, Pope Leo XIV said.
Love without fear, pope tells Lebanese church workers December 1, 2025By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, Vatican, World News At a shrine topped by a 28-foot-tall statue of Our Lady of Lebanon, Pope Leo XIV listened to stories of unshakable faith amid war, injustice and suffering.
Pope urges Lebanese not to give up on peace or each other November 30, 2025By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Acknowledging the existence of “circumstances that are highly complex, conflictual and uncertain,” Pope Leo XIV arrived in Lebanon preaching peace.
