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 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.
Holding inflight news conference, pope talks about peace in Gaza, Ukraine November 30, 2025By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News On his first foreign papal trip, Pope Leo XIV showed reporters that the inflight news conferences of his predecessors would continue.
Ecumenism is not ‘absorption or domination,’ but sharing gifts, pope says November 30, 2025By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations, News, Vatican, World News As he had done throughout his visit to Turkey, Pope Leo XIV spent his last morning in the country reaffirming the Catholic Church’s commitment to the search for Christian unity.
Pope gives Catholics in Turkey Advent ‘resolutions’ — building bridges November 30, 2025By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Advent, News, Vatican, World News Celebrating Mass Nov. 29 in Istanbul’s Volkswagen Arena, Pope Leo was joined by laypeople, priests and bishops from the Latin, Chaldean, Armenian and Syriac Catholic churches.
Though Nicaea is a ruin, its Creed stands and unites Christians, pope says November 28, 2025By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Although the ancient city of Nicaea lies in ruins and the geographic center of Christianity has shifted West, Pope Leo XIV and Christian leaders gathered at an archaeological site in Turkey to celebrate the enduring faith set out in the Nicene Creed.
A little leaven can do great things, pope tells Turkey’s Catholics November 28, 2025By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: News, Vatican, World News Meeting leaders of Turkey’s small and varied Catholic communities, Pope Leo XIV asked them to embrace their “littleness” as they strive to be a leaven of God’s love in Turkish society.
Pope arrives in Turkey giving thanks, preaching peace November 27, 2025By Cindy Wooden OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Pope Leo XIV began his first papal trip speaking of dialogue, peace and thanksgiving — referring to both the holiday and his own gratitude.
