Slain Lebanese priest hailed as a ‘martyr,’ commemorated by Pope Leo XIV March 11, 2026By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Lebanese Maronite Catholic priest Father Pierre al-Rahi was commemorated by Pope Leo XIV ahead of the cleric’s funeral attended by scores of faithful as well as Catholic and Lebanese government officials in his southern village of Qlayaa.
As humanitarian crisis looms in Lebanon, Mideast Christians face uncertain future March 11, 2026By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, World News Lebanon has been gripped by panic and internal displacement crisis following Israeli evacuation orders as part of the U.S. and Israel–Iran war, with the country coming to reflect the growing pressure on Middle Eastern Christians, raising fears the conflict could force many to leave the region permanently.
Lebanese Maronite Catholic priest killed by Israeli tank fire in southern Lebanon March 9, 2026By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News A Lebanese Maronite Catholic priest has been killed in southern Lebanon when an Israeli artillery tank fired on a house March 9, Catholic officials and media said — reports that have since been confirmed by OSV News.
Drone strike on Iraqi Catholic church complex reopens old wounds March 5, 2026By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, World News The Catholic community in northern Iraq has been shaken by the attack of an explosive drone hitting the Chaldean Catholic complex in Ankawa, outside of Irbil.
Catholic leaders urge pilgrimage to site of Jesus’ baptism in Jordan January 11, 2026By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: News, World News Catholic clergy representing the Latin Church as well as Greek Catholics, Maronites, Chaldeans, Syriacs and Armenians gathered, issuing a call for pilgrims worldwide to visit Jordan and experience the baptism site for themselves, as one of Christianity’s most important and revered places.
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.
Lebanese long for peace ahead of Pope Leo’s visit November 27, 2025By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, Vatican, World News Lebanese Catholics yearn for the upcoming visit of Pope Leo XIV to achieve something lost in recent years. Signs bearing the pontiff’s photo along newly rebuilt roadways express their longing: “Lebanon wants peace.”
Security for Syria’s religious minorities’ is disastrous, say religious freedom advocates November 8, 2025By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, Religious Freedom, World News Continued attacks on Christians and other minorities in Syria at the hands of Islamists, some affiliated with the new Syrian interim government, call into question whether the war-torn country can rebuild without first securing its people.
Lebanon eagerly awaits Pope Leo’s visit as ‘pilgrim of peace,’ Catholic clergy say October 22, 2025By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, Vatican, World News Lebanon eagerly awaits Pope Leo XIV’s upcoming visit, marking his first apostolic trip abroad, Catholic clergy organizers say.
Lebanese Catholic clergy commemorate Beirut port explosion victims five years later August 4, 2025By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, World News Lebanon’s Catholic clergy celebrated a commemorative Mass and held a vigil in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, remembering those who perished five years earlier, on Aug. 4, 2020, in the catastrophic Beirut port explosion.
Syrian Christian leaders say Islamist government can’t protect them or Druze July 22, 2025By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, World News Syrian Christian leaders say they cannot trust the Islamist-led Syrian government of Ahmed al-Sharaa to provide the safety they need after a week of deadly clashes that claimed the lives of 1,000 people in the southern region of Sweida and urged international protection.
Faith-based refugee centers in Rome provide a lifeline to newcomers June 20, 2025By Dale Gavlak Catholic News Service Filed Under: Immigration and Migration, News, World News At a time when the fate of refugees and migrants is becoming increasingly uncertain, faith-based organizations in Rome say they are putting into practice their Christian values of protection and respect of human life to aid those seeking help.
