Mideast: Pope bemoans attacks that ‘struck schools’, calls for ‘paths of dialogue’
At the Angelus, Leo XIV called for "lasting solutions to the serious crisis" in Lebanon. He expressed his closeness to the loved ones of the "Thousands of innocent people" killed. Many nations are awaiting for peace. In his commentary on the Gospel, the pope said that “faith is an invitation to ‘open our eyes’.” Yesterday, he moved into the papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace, unused by Pope Francis.
Vatican City (AsiaNews) – This morning, under an overcast sky, thousands of faithful crowded St Peter's Square to hear Pope Leo XIV's recitation of the Angelus. As usual, the pontiff appeared at noon from the window of the Vatican Apostolic Palace.
Yesterday afternoon, the pontiff took possession of the renovated papal apartment, unoccupied during the pontificate of Pope Francis, who chose to live in Casa Santa Marta. Until his move, Leo lived at the Palace of the Holy Office.
After the Marian prayer, the pope again turned his attention to the war triggered by the attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran.
“For two weeks now, the peoples of the Middle East have been suffering the horrific violence of war,” he said. “Thousands of innocent people have been killed, and countless others have been forced to flee their homes. I renew my prayerful closeness to all who have lost loved ones in the attacks, which have struck schools, hospitals and residential areas.”
On the first day of the offensive, at least 150 girls were killed in a raid at the Shajareh Tayyebeh school in Minab, southern Iran.
The pope also expressed “great concern” for the situation in Lebanon. “I hope that avenues for dialogue will emerge to support the country’s Authorities in implementing lasting solutions to the serious crisis currently unfolding, for the common good of all the Lebanese people.”
In an appeal to those responsible for the war, “On behalf of the Christians of the Middle East, and of all women and men of good will!” he said: “cease fire! May paths of dialogue be reopened! Violence can never lead to the justice, stability and peace for which the peoples are waiting.”
Before the Angelus, Leo XIV spoke about the Gospel of the day (John 9:1-41). At a time of human despair, “it is essential that our faith be alert, attentive and prophetic. It should likewise open our eyes to the darkness of the world, and bring to others the light of the Gospel through our commitment to peace, justice and solidarity,” he said.
This is particularly the case at present, “in the face of the many questions of the human heart, as well as the tragic situations of injustice, violence and suffering that mark our time”.
Addressing the crowd in St Peter’s, he said that Christians are “called to live our faith with ‘open eyes’. Faith is not a blind act, a forsaking of reason or a retreat into some sort of religious certainty that causes us to turn our gaze away from the world. On the contrary, faith is an invitation to ‘open our eyes,’ as the Lord did, especially towards the suffering of others and the afflictions of the world.”
The healing of the man blind from birth in the passage is used by the evangelist John to speak about the “mystery of salvation”. Leo explained that, “while we were in darkness, while humanity walked in gloom (cf. Is 9:2), God sent his Son as the light of the world, to open the eyes of the blind and illuminate our lives.”
Since everyone is blind “from birth” [. . .] God became flesh in Jesus, so that the clay of our humanity, shaped by the breath of his grace, might receive a new light, one capable of helping us to see ourselves, others and God in truth,” Leo added.
In fact, faith is not a “leap in the dark”, a belief widely held “over the centuries”; instead, “the Gospel shows us that through contact with Christ, our eyes are opened.”
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22/06/2025 16:55
