Advent: What It Is and How Catholics Celebrate It
Advent: What is it and how should it be celebrated? Advent begins this year on Sunday, Nov. 30. Most Catholics — even those who don’t often go to Mass — know that Advent involves a wreath with candles, possibly a “calendar” of hidden chocolates, and untangling strings of Christmas lights. But Advent is much more […]
Pope Leo: Erdogan Talks Focused on Gaza, Ukraine
Pope Leo says Erdogan talks focused on Gaza and Ukraine, sees Turkish role in peace efforts Pope Leo XIV said Sunday that he discussed both the Gaza war and the conflict in Ukraine directly with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, saying that the two leaders found common ground on key points and that Ankara could […]
Pope Leo Calls Lebanon to Tenacity and Hope
Pope Leo XIV calls Lebanon to tenacity, hope, and reconciliation Pope Leo XIV urged Lebanon’s leaders to embrace tenacity, dialogue, and a renewed commitment to the common good during an address at the Presidential Palace in Baabda on Sunday, continuing his weeklong apostolic journey to Turkey and Lebanon. The trip, focused on Christian unity, regional […]
Pope Leo Arrives in Lebanon With Message of Peace
Pope Leo XIV arrives in Lebanon, bringing a message of peace to a nation scarred by war The sky over Lebanon — once dominated by missile exchanges and relentless air raids during the 2023–2024 conflict between Hezbollah and Israel — opened Sunday not to warplanes, but to the aircraft carrying Pope Leo XIV. Touching down […]
Pope Leo XIV, at Mass in Turkey, calls for Catholic, ecumenical and interreligious unity
Pope Leo XIV, at Mass in Turkey, calls for Catholic, ecumenical and interreligious unity Pope Leo XIV marked the start of Advent on Saturday with an appeal for unity and peace, telling thousands gathered for Mass in Istanbul that Christians “journey as if on a bridge that connects earth to Heaven,” keeping their eyes “fixed […]
Pope Leo XIV honors courageous Christian witness of the Armenian people in Istanbul
Pope Leo XIV honors ‘courageous Christian witness of the Armenian people’ in Istanbul Pope Leo XIV dedicated the final morning of his visit to Turkey on Sunday to strengthening ties with the Armenian Apostolic Church, thanking God for “the courageous Christian witness of the Armenian people throughout history, often amid tragic circumstances.” The pope addressed […]
Pope Leo XIV and Bartholomew I ‘deeply alarmed’ by global tensions
Pope Leo XIV and Bartholomew I ‘deeply alarmed’ by global tensions Pope Leo XIV and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople said on Saturday they are “deeply alarmed by the current international situation,” issuing a joint appeal for peace. The appeal took place during the pope’s first international trip, a journey that has taken him […]
Airbus computer issue affects papal plane during trip to Turkey
Airbus computer issue affects papal plane during trip to Turkey The papal plane set to fly Pope Leo XIV from Turkey to Lebanon on Sunday is one of thousands of Airbus A320 aircraft affected by a computer issue. Around 6,000 Airbus planes were grounded this weekend after it was discovered that intense solar radiation could […]
Pope Leo XIV visits emblematic Turkish mosque in sign of fraternity with Muslims
Pope Leo XIV visits emblematic Turkish mosque in sign of fraternity with Muslims Pope Leo XIV started his third day in Turkey on Saturday with a visit to the Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul. The visit was a gesture of respect towards the Islamic world, fraternity with Muslims, and continuity in building bridges of interreligious […]
Pope Leo XIV: Nicaea anniversary, urges Christians to overcome divisions
Pope Leo XIV: Nicaea anniversary, urges Christians to overcome divisions Pope Leo XIV commemorated the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea on Friday in the Turkish city historically known as the birthplace of the Nicene Creed, calling Christians to overcome “the scandal of divisions” and to renew their commitment to unity. The pope […]
