After praying the Angelus, Pope Leo calls for an end to violence around the world, urging everyone to persevere in prayer because “we cannot remain silent in the face of the suffering of so many people, innocent victims of these conflicts.” By Kielce Gussie Despite the rainy weather in Rome, …

Israeli settlers escalate their incursions into Taybeh, the West Bank’s last fully Christian town, raising concerns over further land appropriation. The parish priest, Father Bashar Fawadleh, appeals for international intervention, as residents face mounting restrictions and call for peace, justice, and protection. By Alexandra Sirgant and Linda Bordoni Amid the …

Will Kharg’s Christian heritage survive the present conflict, or will it become yet another casualty of international strife? Aerial view of Kharg Island Oil Terminal, Iran. | Credit: Aerial Viewer/Shutterstock By Souhail Lawand March 17, 2026 at 1:58 PM ET While Iran’s Kharg Island has drawn global attention due to its …

“I am close to all the Lebanese people at this time of grave trial,” the pope said on March 11. Pope Leo XIV prays during the general audience in St. Peter’s Square on March 11, 2026. | Credit: Daniel Ibanez/EWTN News By Victoria Cardiel March 11, 2026 at 7:49 AM ET …

Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin speaks to Vatican News about events in the Middle East, warning of a dangerous rise of multipolarism marked by the primacy of power. By Andrea Tornielli “This erosion of international law is truly worrying justice has given way to force; the force of law …

By Andrea Tornielli The Israeli–Palestinian conflict has long been a source of debate and polarization. The war now raging in Gaza, and the controversies surrounding it, have made this phenomenon even more extreme, if that were possible. Intense—at times extreme—polarizations run through much of civil society in many countries around …

Pope Francis’ Prayer Intentions NOVEMBER Dialogue and Reconciliation in the Near East That a spirit of dialogue, encounter, and reconciliation emerge in the Near East, where diverse religious communities share their lives together.

WASHINGTON (CNS) — As Christians in the Middle East look back on 2016, they wonder if there will be much to celebrate amid mounting challenges, particularly for those displaced by conflicts in Iraq and Syria. “As much as we are pleased that our homelands from which thousands of Christians were …

WASHINGTON—The chairmen of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committees on Migration, Religious Liberty and International Justice and Peace, along with the board of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) issued a joint statement expressing solidarity with Christians and all those who suffer in the Middle East. The full statement follows: …

By Doreen Abi Raad BEIRUT (CNS) — Mideast Catholic leaders are urging people to put aside ideology and blame and work to rebuild the city of Aleppo, Syria. “The world is divided. Each one is accusing the other,” said Syrian-born Catholic Patriarch Gregoire III Laham. “Between the superpowers bickering, a …