Pope Leo XIV

The pope visited Santa Maria degli Angeli and the Porziuncola, on the eighth centenary of the passing of Saint Francis. He urged the participants of the "Go! Franciscan Youth Meeting" to “let the friars' mats and your sleeping bags speak of peace." In his homily, he said, “become fully human with the freedom of Jesus Christ; embrace Sister Poverty!”

A local study confirms the pervasive use of artificial intelligence, even among the youngest children. Researchers call on the government and families to pay more attention to the new technologies. In his encyclical, the pope urges education to also teach “when and for what purpose it ought not to be used it,” so as not to extinguish “the desire to ask questions”.

This morning Leo XIV received at the Apostolic Palace a group of Russian Catholics in Rome for their Jubilee pilgrimage. He invited them to light “the fire of Christian love" and warm the “most hardened hearts” in a world brutalised by war. With charity and hope, a "new world" can be built from the “ruins”. The icon of the Salus Populi Romani is "the sign of the Holy Year”.

Fr Romanelli says that "the entire Gaza Strip is dangerous," but Gaza City is "even more so." There are “constant bombardments”, but the parish has not yet received an "evacuation order." The Custody of the Holy Land and the Latin Patriarchate are with Pope Leo fasting and praying for peace. According to Israeli military sources, 83 percent of the deaths in the Palestinian enclave are civilians.

The Maronite patriarch said that the pontiff is expected by “December”. This visit could be part of the trip to Nicaea, in the footsteps of John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis. The Holy See has not provided any official information. A cautious approach prevails due to tensions in the southern Lebanon (one death today) and the controversy over Hezbollah's demilitarisation.

The Lebanese president is the first head of state from the region to meet the pontiff. Their meeting comes at the very time of Israel’s attack on Iran. In a statement, the Holy See refers to “good bilateral relations” with Lebanon and expresses support for its “stabilization and reform process”. There are concerns in Lebanon for the new war front, but Hezbollah says that it will not undertake “military initiatives”. The fate of UNIFIL is also at stake.

On the day the Church dedicates to the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the pontiff presides over the ordination of 11 deacons in St. Peter's Basilica. Among them is a priest of Vietnamese origin. In his homily, he urges them to be ‘not masters, but guardians’ and, recalling a theme dear to Pope Francis, asks them to shun ‘self-referentiality.’ And ‘God has not grown weary of gathering his children.’

In an interview with AsiaNews, Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako reflects on the days of the Conclave spent alongside the new pontiff and their “very important” first meeting after the election. He describes the “complicated situation” facing Christians in the Middle East, who suffer from a “lack of stability” despite some improvements in security. His first words to Pope Prevost: “We are counting on you.”

Fr Romanelli emphasises the “strong bond” between Gaza Christians and this pontiff and his predecessor. Appeals for peace come with strong emphasis on the severe famine underway. While the Israeli military is pursuing the offensive, Netanyahu, under US pressure, is allowing limited aid delivery. For the clergyman, the greatest hope for Palestinians is to be able to live in their own land.

Leo XIV met in audience with ecumenical delegations and representatives of other faiths who had come to Rome for the beginning of his ministry. Before the meeting, he held a private audience with the Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew. In his address, he noted that his election falls on the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea. For Christians, “unity can only be unity in faith,” he said. Turning to Jews, he noted that “in these difficult times, marked by conflicts and misunderstandings, it is necessary to continue the momentum of this precious dialogue of ours.”

The Archbishop of Goa and President of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences reflects with AsiaNews on Pope Prevost’s inaugural homily: “Love for all, unity in diversity, closeness to the poor and to cultures – this must be our way of being Church. We await him in our beloved India. And we will invite him to the FABC Assembly scheduled for 2026 in Malaysia.”

The homily from the Mass in which Pope Prevost solemnly inaugurated his pontificate this morning: “In a world wounded by hatred, violence, prejudice, and fear of the other, and by an economic model that exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalises the poorest, we want to be a small leaven of communion and fraternity that says: look to Christ and you will find peace.”