Pope Leo XIV granted ecclesiastical communion to the new patriarch of Baghdad of the Chaldeans, His Beatitude Mar Paul III Nona, who now serves as the head of this Eastern Catholic Church based in Iraq, which is in full communion with Rome.

TweetWhat is the Chaldean Church?

The Chaldean Church is one of more than 20 Eastern Catholic Churches under the authority of the pope in Rome and possesses autonomy in accordance with Canon 27 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.

This allows it to manage its internal affairs in accordance with the laws it has established for itself. The Synod of Chaldean Bishops was the body that elected the new patriarch.

What is ecclesiastical communion?

The new patriarch, who succeeds Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako following his resignation, was elected on April 12 and received ecclesiastical communion on April 24, having requested it via a letter sent to Pope Leo, as established by Canon 76 § 2 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.

“With a heart filled with joy, I grant you ecclesiastica communio as an expression and bond of full communion with the Apostolic See in the common service of unity within the Church and the building up of the body of Christ,” the Holy Father wrote to the new Chaldean patriarch.

Ecclesiastical communion is the formal recognition of full communion with the Diocese of Rome, i.e. with the pope, granted to the one requesting it; in this case, the Chaldean patriarch.

This recognition enables the new patriarch to fully exercise his ministry as the head of the Chaldean Catholic Church, not only within Iraq but also among the diaspora throughout the world.

Once the patriarch, who is “primus inter pares” (“first among equals”) has received ecclesiastical communion, he may convene the synod of bishops of the Church over which he presides and also ordain bishops.

Pope Leo’s message to the new Chaldean patriarch

Pope Leo XIV offered his prayers for the new patriarch and his mission to proclaim the Gospel, “strengthening ecclesial communion within his own territory and in the territories of the diaspora, which is becoming increasingly numerous.”

The Holy Father highlighted that Mar Paul III Nona was elected “on the day when the Chaldean liturgy commemorates the encounter of the risen Christ with St. Thomas, from whom the living tradition of this Church originates.”

For this reason, he encouraged the Chaldeans to persevere as “true believers,” especially in the face of the “exceedingly arduous trials” that the faithful in Iraq and other territories often confront.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

The Vatican Observatory has named four asteroids after key figures in its history. Among them is Pope Leo XIII, who refounded the institution in 1891.

The newly named asteroids were discovered by the telescope the Vatican operates in Arizona.

The asteroid “Gioacchinopecci” honors Pope Leo XIII, born Gioacchino Vincenzo Raffaele Luigi Pecci, whose legacy is closely tied to the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV.

According to the observatory, Leo XIII reestablished the Vatican Observatory after the loss of the Papal States and of important astronomical facilities, particularly the observatory of Father Angelo Secchi located above the Church of St. Ignatius in Rome.

Photographs of the Vatican from the early 20th century show the domes of the observatory’s telescopes above the Vatican walls and the Tower of the Winds.

In the 1930s, because electric lighting made Rome’s night sky brighter, the telescopes were moved to the Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome, whose domes can still be seen today from miles away.

The later increase in light pollution from Rome led to the construction of the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope, or VATT, on Mount Graham in Arizona in the 1990s.

Through the 1891 motu proprio Ut Mysticam, Leo XIII established the Vatican Observatory, stating that it would help show the world that the Church’s present and historic attitude toward “true and solid science” was to “embrace it, encourage it, and promote it with the greatest possible dedication,” contrary to what its critics claimed.

In particular, he emphasized that the observatory would help promote “a most noble science that, more than any other human discipline, raises the spirit of mortals to the contemplation of heavenly events.”

Leo XIII is the third pope to have an asteroid named after him. Gregory XIII has one in recognition of his role in the reform of the calendar, as does Benedict XVI, to whom “(8661) Ratzinger” is dedicated.

In addition to Pope Leo XIII, another asteroid has been named “Lais” in honor of Giuseppe Lais, an Italian priest and astronomer who served as deputy director of the Vatican Observatory for 30 years. Asteroids were also named for Pietro Maffi, an Italian cardinal, archbishop of Pisa, and astronomer, and André Bertiau, a Belgian Jesuit priest, astronomer, and former director of the Vatican Observatory.

Asteroids receive a provisional designation at the time of discovery based on the date of observation and managed by the Working Group for Small Body Nomenclature of the International Astronomical Union.

When an asteroid’s orbit is determined with sufficient precision and its future path can be reliably predicted, it is assigned a permanent number. Currently, about 850,000 of the roughly 1.3 million known asteroids have received a permanent number.

Only after receiving this number, the observatory noted, can discoverers propose a definitive name to replace the provisional designation.

The proposed name is then examined by the working group and must comply with specific guidelines. Once approved, the asteroid is known by its official name, written as “(number) Name.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday condemned a surge of violence in Colombia, following a weekend of deadly attacks in the southwest part of the country.

Since Friday, rebel groups have carried out more than two dozen attacks on civilians and military bases, just ahead of the presidential elections scheduled for May 31.

The deadliest incident took place when a bomb exploded on the Pan-American Highway in the department of Cauca as an intercity bus was passing by. The attack occurred in one of the regions that has suffered most from violence in recent weeks, amid an escalation of armed assaults.

It is the bloodiest massacre of civilians recorded in the country in more than a decade, when the Colombian state and specialized nongovernmental organizations began officially identifying episodes involving the simultaneous deaths of three or more people as massacres.

Before thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square, the pontiff expressed his condemnation of the renewed wave of violence affecting the South American country.

“With sorrow and concern, I have learned of the tragic situation of violence afflicting the southwestern region of Colombia, which has caused grave loss of human life,” he said, addressing Spanish-speakers.

“I express my closeness in prayer to the victims and their families, and I urge everyone to reject every form of violence and to choose decisively the path of peace,” the pope said in Spanish.

Colombia is once again experiencing some of the darkest episodes of its armed conflict. Since January, 48 massacres have been recorded. At least 229 people have been killed in the incidents, making it the most violent start to a year since the signing of the 2016 Peace Agreement.

The wave of violence extends from north to south across the country, in a context marked by an increasingly tense electoral climate.

Message of peace in Africa

As is customary after apostolic journeys, Pope Leo XIV devoted his main address during the general audience to a reflection on his April 13-23 trip to Africa: eleven days of pastoral pilgrimage during which he traveled to four countries — Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea — including taking 18 flights and stops in 11 cities.

Pope Leo XIV greets crowds of people from the popemobile during his weekly general audience in St. Peterʼs Square on April 29, 2026. | Credit: Daniel Ibanez/EWTN News.

“From the very beginning of my pontificate, I have thought about a journey in Africa. I thank the Lord for granting me the opportunity to undertake it, as Shepherd, to meet and encourage the people of God; and also to experience it as a message of peace at a time in history marked by wars and serious and frequent violations of international law,” he said.

Alongside this call to peace, he added, he also wished to draw attention to “the grave injustices that exist in these countries, so rich in natural resources,” and he urged the international community to overcome “neo-colonial attitudes” in order to commit to an “authentic collaboration” with the African continent.

Pope Leo XIV also highlighted the value of the trip as a platform for giving voice to the African people. According to the pope, the apostolic visit allowed those communities “to make their voices heard, to express the joy of being God’s people and the hope for a better future, of dignity for each and every one,” amid complex social and political contexts.

In a personal tone, the pontiff expressed his gratitude for what he received during the pastoral journey. “I thank the Lord for what they have given me, an inestimable treasure for my heart and my ministry.”

The assessment of the trip, he explained, is not limited to the pastoral sphere but also constitutes a call to international responsibility and a reminder of the dignity of African peoples.

At the start of his catechesis, the pope explained the reasons that led him to choose Algeria as the first stage of the journey, a country that preserves sites linked to St. Augustine.

“Thus, I found myself, on the one hand, revisiting the roots of my spiritual identity and, on the other, crossing and strengthening bridges that are very important for the world and the Church today: the bridge with the very fruitful age of the Fathers of the Church; the bridge with the Islamic world; and the bridge with the African continent," he said.

After Algeria, the pontiff visited Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea — three countries which, unlike Algeria, where Islam is practiced by the vast majority of the population, have a predominantly Christian population. There, he noted, “I therefore found myself immersed in an atmosphere of celebration of the faith and warm welcome, enhanced also by the characteristic traits of the African people.”

Like his predecessors, he said he experienced something of what Jesus lived with the crowds in Galilee: “He saw them thirsting and hungry for justice,” and proclaimed to them, “Blessed are the poor, blessed are the meek, blessed are the peacemakers,” and, recognizing their faith, said, “You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world.”

Among the most striking moments, he recalled the visit to the prison in Bata, Equatorial Guinea, where inmates asked him to pray “for their sins and their freedom.”

“I had never seen anything like it,” the pope said. They prayed the “Our Father” together in heavy rain — “a genuine sign of the Kingdom of God!”

This story has been updated after publication with the popeʼs reflection on his apostolic journey in Africa.

This article was originally published in two parts by ACI Prensa, EWTN News' Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

On April 29, Catholics celebrate the feast of St. Catherine of Siena, a Dominican, Church reformer, mystic, and one of the four female doctors of the Church.

During the 14th century, the Catholic Church was in a weakened state as it faced internal crises and the devastating impact of the Black Death. St. Catherine lived during the troubled period but ultimately played a key role in inspiring reforms that guided the Church to greater unity and stability.

“Even in the most difficult times, the Lord does not cease to bless his people, bringing forth saints who give a jolt to minds and hearts, provoking conversion and renewal,” Pope Benedict XVI said at his general audience on Nov. 24, 2010.

“Catherine is one of these and still today speaks to us and impels us to walk courageously toward holiness to be ever more fully disciples of the Lord,” he said.

Her incredible spiritual graces led her to sainthood, and her influential writings earned her the title “doctor of the Church.”

Born in 1347 in Siena, Catherine was the 25th child of a large household. Her given name was Catherine Benincasa, but those around her often called her “Joy” due to her bright and cheerful nature.

When she was just 6 years old, she had her first vision of Christ, whom she saw bless her. From then on she chose a life of prayer, consecrating her virginity to Christ and dedicating herself to penance and works of charity.

As she grew older her parents wished for her to marry, but she fought it. In return, they made her life a complete service to the family, burdening her with many household duties. She accepted the work, but not their plan.

Catherine remained steadfast in her faith and developed a great love for the Dominicans. She would seek conversation with Dominican priests and visit Dominican sites. At the age of 16, after a vision of St. Dominic, Catherine joined the Third Order Dominicans.

At first the order was reluctant to accept her due to her young age, but her conviction and deep spiritually swayed them. She lived a life as a hermit in her home, spending three years in prayer and contemplation.

Life as a mystic

The accounts of St. Catherine’s spirituality and mystical experiences detailed in her biography by Blessed Raymond of Capua are nothing short of extraordinary.

After her seclusion, Catherine underwent a mystical marriage. In a vision, Our Lady presented her to Jesus, who gave her a ring and said: “I, your Creator and Savior, espouse you in the faith, that you will keep ever pure until you celebrate your eternal nuptials with me in heaven,” Raymond of Capua wrote.

St. Catherine understood this to be a profound bond of love with Christ and a gift from him. It was more than a mystical experience; it was a chance to receive his heart. This was further shown to her in another mystical exchange.

The Lord appeared to her “holding in his holy hands a human heart, bright red and shining.” He opened her side and put the heart within her and said: “Dearest daughter, as I took your heart away from you the other day, now, you see, I am giving you mine, so that you can go on living with it forever.”

When talk of her holiness spread, she became a spiritual figure offering guidance for people from every walk of life including nobles, politicians, and religious men and women — many even calling her “mother.”

She had a profound love for the Eucharist, even choosing to live solely off the body of Christ for a long period of her life as she went through intense fasts.

She would sit in ecstasy for hours after receiving the body of Christ, which many believed was a spectacle and tried to restrict her from receiving the Eucharist. But when they did, she would receive miraculous interventions.

In one of her spiritual states, she received the stigmata. The wounds were invisible to others during her lifetime and only appeared after her death.

Her fruitful work led to opposition in the Church, even from some Dominicans. The order wanted to verify her authenticity and appointed Raymond of Capua, a canon lawyer, who became her close confidant and biographer. He discovered that her wisdom went far beyond her years and her actions were genuine.

Ending the Avignon papacy

As the respect for the papacy waned throughout the Church and had reached a critical low point, Catherine began to be known as a respected peacemaker and trusted advocate for reform.

The popes had lived in France for more than 60 years when Catherine decided to visit Pope Gregory XI in Avignon to urge him to return to the Eternal City. She shocked him by telling him about private promises he had made before God, which ultimately convinced him.

She later received reports that the French cardinals were causing him to have second thoughts. She then began incessantly sending letters to him and others to aid the cause.

Most of her life she dictated letters, since she did not know how to read or write. She dictated them to scribes and secretaries who would send them to popes, kings, and even pirates, encouraging them to help strengthen the Church.

Eventually through prayer, she learned how to read and write herself. She sent thousands of letters, a little more than 300 of which remain today.

Soon Pope Gregory XI defied his court and went back to Rome.

‘The Dialogue’

Catherine then took to writing “The Dialogue of Divine Providence” in Tuscany and Siena between approximately 1377 and 1378. The 400 pages of writing are a conversation between her and Christ.

She often manifested her teachings in the work through images, including one known as the “Christ bridge.” She said the Father helped her understand that he has provided a bridge between heaven and man when he came to humanity through the Son.

Later, Catherine’s help was needed again in Rome. Following the return of the papacy from Avignon, the election of Pope Urban VI in 1378 was challenged by French cardinals who elected a rival pope.

The situation led to the start of the Great Western Schism, dividing the Church for the next 40 years. Catherine staunchly supported Pope Urban VI and understood that despite failings of the pope he was still “Christ on earth,” as she wrote.

Her work began to take immense tolls, leading her to suffer a fatal stroke at age 33 in 1380.

Becoming a doctor of the Church

Catherine was canonized a saint in 1461 by Pope Pius II. For her travels to help the reform of the Church, Pope John Paul II declared her co-patroness of Europe.

She was later declared the second female doctor of the Church by Pope Paul VI on Oct. 4, 1970 — just days after declaring St. Teresa of Ávila as the first. There are now four female doctors of the Church (the other two are St. Thérèse of Lisieux and St. Hildegard of Bingen).

The title “doctor of the Church” recognizes canonized men and women who possessed profound knowledge, were superb teachers, and contributed significantly to the Church’s theology.

Traditionally, the title has been granted on the basis that he or she is a saint who left behind a body of teachings that made significant contributions to the life of the Church, and there is formal declaration by the Church — usually by a pope.

In his homily declaring her a doctor, Pope Paul VI said that St. Catherine addressed “cardinals and many bishops and priests, she … did not spare strong reproaches, but always in all humility and respect for their dignity as ministers of the blood of Christ.”

He then posed the question: “How then can we not remember the intense work carried out by the saint for the reform of the Church?”

Cardinal Ernest Simoni, 97, considered a “living martyr” of the bloody communist persecution in Albania, met at the Vatican with Pope Leo XIV this week in a private audience marked by the remembrance of the testimony of faith of the persecuted Church.

According to Vatican media reports, the cardinal presented the pontiff with a cross and a relic of the Albanian martyrs “who gave their lives out of fidelity and love for Jesus, and for the salvation of the people of Albania, so that all men may contemplate the smile of heaven,” the cardinal told the pope.

The meeting on April 26, also attended by about 40 of the cardinal’s relatives, took place in “an atmosphere of joy and hope, gazing upon the face of the Holy Father, who represents the face of Jesus, to proclaim to all mankind the good news from heaven, of peace, of fraternity, and of love for all the peoples of the world,” Simoni told Vatican media following the meeting.

Simoni under the communist dictator Enver Hoxha

Ordained a priest in 1956, 12 years after the regime of communist dictator Enver Hoxha came to power, Simoni endured the brutal repression of the Catholic Church in the worldʼs first officially atheist state, where all religious practice was prohibited.

The priest was arrested on Christmas Day 1963 and sentenced to death, but the sentence was commuted to forced labor. He spent 18 years in prison and was released in 1981. However, still considered “an enemy of the people,” he was afterward forced to work cleaning out the sewers in the city of Shkodër. He carried out priestly ministry clandestinely until the fall of the regime in 1990.

Despite the absolute ban on worship, during his imprisonment he celebrated Mass daily, resorting to ingenious subterfuges to go undetected. Since he celebrated Mass in Latin, his jailers thought he had gone mad and was merely babbling incomprehensible words.

Pope Francis' visit to Albania in 2014

In 2014, when Pope Francis visited Albania, the testimony of this now-elderly priest moved him to tears. In 2016, the pope created him a cardinal, publicly thanking him for a life of dedication that “does good to the Church.”

On April 7 this year, the cardinal celebrated the 70th anniversary of his priestly ordination. Two days earlier, on Easter Sunday, he accompanied Leo XIV during the “urbi et orbi” (“to the city and the world”) message and blessing from the central loggia of St. Peterʼs Basilica.

Simoni described the audience with the pontiff as “a special grace by the Holy Spirit and also by the Holy Father: to proclaim together, to all the peoples of the world, the peace that comes from heaven, that most sweet peace, spiritual joy, and the joy of the Resurrection.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Pope Leo XIV on Monday outlined the qualities needed in priests who serve as Vatican diplomats, describing their work as a unique ministry that serves not only Catholics but also the entire human family in individual nations and international organizations.

The pope made the remarks April 27 during a visit to the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, the Holy See’s school for training diplomats, on the occasion of the 325th anniversary of its founding.

Leo recalled that a few years earlier, while serving as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, he had visited the academy and reflected on “the essential mission carried out by the alma mater of the pontifical diplomats.”

“Today, almost a year after the start of my Petrine ministry, accompanied by the diligent commitment of the Secretariat of State and the pontifical representations,” he said, “I therefore look with deep gratitude upon the history of dedication and service that this joyful anniversary celebrates.”

That history, the pope said, rooted in the very Catholicity of the Church, has included an unbroken chain of priests from various parts of the world who have contributed “with their humble efforts to the building of that unity in Christ which, amid the diversity of origins, makes communion a fundamental characteristic of the diplomatic service of the Holy See.”

Referring to reforms made to the academy by Pope Francis in March 2025, Leo said the most important reform required of those entering the community is “a constant exercise in conversion, aimed at cultivating ‘closeness, attentive listening, witness, a fraternal approach, and dialogue … combined with humility and meekness.’”

The pope said the gathering was an opportunity to outline some characteristics of the pontifical diplomatic priest, who participates in the ministry of the successor of Peter and serves peace, truth, and justice.

The Vatican diplomat, he said, “must be, first of all, a messenger of the paschal proclamation ‘Peace be with you!’”

“Even when the hopes for dialogue and reconciliation seem to vanish and peace ‘as the world gives it’ is trampled upon and put to the test,” Leo said, “you are called to continue to bring the word of the risen Christ to all. ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.’”

Before trying to build peace “with our own meager strength,” the pope said, the mission of pontifical diplomats calls them to be bridges and channels for it, “so that the grace that comes from heaven may find its way through the vicissitudes of history.”

Leo also said the papal diplomat, working in different cultural settings and international organizations, “is specifically assigned to bear witness to the truth that is Christ.”

Such a diplomat, he said, must bring Christ’s message to the forum of nations and become “a sign of his love for that portion of humanity entrusted to his mission as a shepherd, even before that of a diplomat.”

The pope also stressed the importance of clear language in diplomacy, citing his January address to the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See in which he said it is urgently necessary that “words once again … express distinct and clear realities unequivocally,” because “only in this way can authentic dialogue resume without misunderstandings.”

“For this reason, too,” he told the students, “it is important that you bring to the world the Word of Life, who revealed himself not through the affirmation of abstract principles and ideas but by becoming flesh.”

Leo reminded the academy’s students that they are preparing for a ministry “which is not limited to safeguarding the good of the Catholic community but extends to the entire human family living in a particular nation or participating in the work of various international organizations.”

This, he said, requires them “to be promoters of all forms of justice that help to recognize, rebuild, and protect the image of God imprinted in every person.”

“In the defense of human rights — among which the rights to religious freedom and to life are prominent — I therefore urge you to continue to show the way, not toward confrontation and demands but toward the protection of human dignity, the development of peoples and communities, and the promotion of international cooperation,” he said. “These are the only means that allow us to embark on authentic paths of peace.”

The pope acknowledged that in a world marked by tensions, where conflict can appear to be the only way to address needs and demands, efforts at dialogue, listening, and reconciliation may seem insufficient, at times even futile.

“This must not discourage us!” he said. “Let us continue to invoke with confidence the gift of Christ’s peace, without fear.”

He assured the superiors and students that their ministry, at any time and in any place, will be “an instrument for promoting and safeguarding the dignity of every man and woman, created in the image and likeness of God, and for advancing the common good.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

The Vatican has released a new document titled “Integral Ecology in the Life of the Family” aimed at promoting the care of creation and human life within the family, warning against the advancement of certain ideologies that encourage abortion and sterilization as means to control population growth.

The document, issued April 27, notes that there is currently “a tendency to perceive population growth as the primary threat to humanity” and deplores the policies of certain governments that “spread abortion“ and promote ”the adoption of sterilization practices in poor countries, thereby imposing ‘strong birth control measures.’”

The volume draws upon the magisterium of the last four pontiffs. The earliest document to which it refers is Gaudium et Spes from the Second Vatican Council, promulgated by St. Paul VI on Dec. 7, 1965. It incorporates contributions from St. John Paul II, who laid decisive foundations in the areas of the family and the Church’s social doctrine — particularly in Familiaris Consortio (1981) and Sollicitudo Rei Socialis (1987)  — and the 2009 encyclical Caritas in Veritate by Pope Benedict XVI.

It also incorporates the teachings of Francis, who, in Evangelii Gaudium (2013), calls for a Church that “goes out” centered on proclaiming the Gospel and close to the human peripheries. This pastoral approach is applied to family life in Amoris Laetitia (2016), wherein the importance of discernment and accompaniment is underscored.

Attempts to erase sexual differences

The document refers to “a countless number of children never being born, children who were denied the right to the primary gift of creation, the gift of life itself,” the Vatican laments. It adds that this phenomenon also occurs “when society is disrupted by attempts to erase sexual differences, because it no longer knows how to deal” with them.

In light of this reality, the document calls for focusing attention on other factors it deems truly harmful such as extreme consumerism, pollution, the throwaway culture, and the desire to exercise absolute power over the human body through its manipulation, facilitated by recent technological advances.

These dangerous trends emerge when “the right to life and to a natural death are not respected; when human conception, gestation, and birth are done artificially; or when human embryos are sacrificed for research” as well as when governments “promote abortion, at times encouraging the adoption of sterilization practices in impoverished nations,” and impose “strict birth control measures.”

The importance of sex education

The text further underscores that the comprehensive education of children by their parents must also include formation in love and sexuality. “This subject is currently the object of much debate, which often creates conflicts between schools and families when determining what should be taught.”

The Vatican insists that people “must not forget that learning to accept one’s own body, to care for it and to respect its meanings, is essential for a true human ecology,” since “the acceptance of one’s own body as a gift from God is necessary to welcome and accept the entire world as a gift from the Father and our common home.”

In practical terms, the document encourages families to assume the responsibility of educating their members, engaging in age-appropriate conversations “regarding the need to protect human life in the face of abortion, surrogacy, and euthanasia; the need to care for family members facing difficulties; and the beauty, dignity, and meaning of human sexuality.”

It also suggests becoming involved with local schools, promoting ecological improvements both in facilities and in educational content as well as initiatives such as school gardens and the study of botany.

Integral ecology in family life

The document was jointly prepared by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development and the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life. As its authors explain, it is the fruit of a collaborative effort involving theologians, consultants, and married couples.

It offers insights and practical advice for confronting current environmental challenges and fostering the integral development of every individual.

The second part, the core of the document, is structured around seven themes inspired by Laudato Si’: listening to the cry of the earth, listening to the cry of the poor and the vulnerable, adopting and promoting an ecological economy, fostering sustainable lifestyles, advancing integral ecology in education, strengthening ecological spirituality within the family, and promoting the participation of families in community life.

Each chapter is structured into four sections: an explanation of the topic, concrete implications, questions for reflection and discussion, and proposed actions. Among these, it poses questions such as: “Has our family experienced situations in which natural resources have been used ... in a way that creates or exacerbates social tensions or inequality?” or “Have we attempted to measure, in any way, the level of our consumption within our family and our home?”

Avoid waste and use public transportation

The text also includes concrete recommendations, such as teaching children to “respect and care for animals,” “avoid wasting food or electricity,” use “public transport more frequently,” explore “low-cost options for insulating their home against cold and heat,” and the proper sorting of household waste.

Finally, the document invites participation in projects committed “to assistance and solidarity, paying special attention to vulnerable population groups, such as members of Indigenous communities, refugees, migrants, at-risk children, families experiencing difficulties or bereavement, and illiterate individuals.”

It also raises questions regarding the educational role of parents and the tensions they face when imparting values ​​of moderation in a culture marked by consumerism and social pressure.

“Parents who attempt to instill values ​​such as moderation and a modest lifestyle may be perceived as authoritarian figures — or as individuals who are oblivious to marketing and peer pressure. How can such parents be supported in navigating these challenges?” the text asks.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

In recent days, the new papal almoner, Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín, confirmed that Pope Leo XIV sent humanitarian aid to Lebanon and Ukraine, two countries suffering from war. The prelate, who is charged with overseeing the pope’s charitable works, stated that “charity is the Gospel lived out.”

“The Dicastery for the Service of Charity serves as the conduit for the pope’s aid. In recent days, we dispatched a trailer to Ukraine containing medicines, food products, hygiene supplies, and clothing. We also sent 15,000 essential medicines to Lebanon,” the Spanish archbishop stated in a message posted on X.

As reported by Vatican News, the shipment to Ukraine took place on April 25, the same day of the papal almoner’s visit, and departed from the Ukrainian Greek Catholic basilica of Santa Sofia in Rome.

That shipment “marks the 150th truck to depart from our basilica,” explained the church’s rector, Father Marco Semehen, who highlighted the collaboration of the Governorate of Vatican City State and the Pharmaceutical Bank Foundation.

The shipments include several pallets of medicines, primarily antibiotics and anti-inflammatories, intended both for hospitals and for distribution among the local population through Ukrainian volunteer networks.

Semehen emphasized that the aid was gathered with particular consideration for the most vulnerable. “We have collected everything that could be useful, taking into account in particular the needs of the most fragile — the sick and the children,” he explained, noting that “For them, donations consisted primarily of medicines, family care packages, hygiene supplies, thermal blankets, food, and a great deal of clothing of excellent quality.”

The rector also highlighted the continuity of the pope’s assistance to the Ukrainian people over time.

“For Ukraine, this continuity of aid arriving from the Vatican means a great deal,” he affirmed, while noting that “with the prolongation of the war, we have observed a decline in attention toward the needs of the population.”

‘The Church is not merely theory or doctrine’

“The Church is not merely theory or doctrine; it is also practice: It is the Gospel lived out, a testimony of charity,” he stated, adding that witnessing such generous participation “is a source of great joy.” In this regard, he underscored that “charity is the fitting response of Christians in the face of the spread of hatred in the world.”

The papal almoner also issued an appeal for peace: “The cry ‘Peace, peace, peace!’ must enter the minds and hearts of all. We still have a long way to go, and we need a true conversion.”

The pope’s assistance also extended to Lebanon. As reported by Vatican media this week, the Office of Papal Charities organized the humanitarian aid shipment to the country, sending 15,000 essential medicines, which will be distributed through the apostolic nunciature in Beirut.

The medications include antibiotics, diabetes and blood pressure medications, anti-inflammatories, multivitamin supplements, and other drugs for the most common acute and chronic conditions.

Marín highlighted the importance of cooperation in responding effectively to humanitarian emergencies. “Our dicastery is engaged in charitable work at the international level as well, operating through nunciatures and local churches,” he explained, underscoring the need to build networks and raise awareness to shed light on “the terrible reality of war, the needs it creates, and how we can collaborate in concrete ways to help those who are suffering.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

The Local Organizing Committee for World Youth Day Seoul 2027 has officially announced the patron saints who will spiritually accompany the next major international gathering of young Catholics, which will take place in the South Korean capital Aug. 3–8, 2027.

According to a statement from organizers, the five patron saints of WYD Seoul 2027 are St. John Paul II, founder of World Youth Day; St. Andrew Kim Taegon and his companion martyrs; St. Frances Xavier Cabrini; St. Josephine Bakhita; and St. Carlo Acutis.

St. John Paul II (1920–2005) is remembered for centering much of his pastoral teaching on young people, the family, and the defense of the dignity of human life. St. Andrew Kim Taegon (1821–1846), the first Korean Catholic priest, together with his companion martyrs, represents a powerful witness of faith and courage, sealed by martyrdom at a young age.

St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850–1917) was a tireless missionary, known especially for her work on behalf of migrants and the poor. St. Josephine Bakhita (1869–1947), a former slave who became a religious sister, is a witness of hope, freedom, and faith transformed through suffering. St. Carlo Acutis (1991–2006), meanwhile, embodies the witness of holiness in the digital age and remains a model of evangelization for young people today.

As is customary for each World Youth Day, the patron saints are presented as models and guides of faith for young people through the witness of their lives and spirituality. For WYD Seoul 2027, the choices were made in light of the event’s major spiritual themes: truth, love, and peace.

The selection process began at the end of 2024 and included a nationwide survey of young people, youth ministry leaders, and formators. Following that consultation, the Local Organizing Committee reviewed the candidates and made the final selection.

After the announcement, a group of young volunteers spent two months studying the lives and spirituality of the five patron saints. Through prayer, dialogue, and shared reflection, they prepared a special prayer and a representative symbol for each saint to express the particular witness they offer to new generations.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life, emphasized the importance of the selection, saying the patron saints “play a fundamental role in the preparation of each World Youth Day.” He said these models of holiness invite young people to reflect on God’s call and encourage them to respond with generosity and courage in following Christ.

“May the witness of these patron saints inspire young people throughout the world, especially in contexts marked by difficulty and persecution,” Farrell said.

Archbishop Peter Soon-taick Chung of Seoul, president of the Local Organizing Committee, noted that the chosen saints represent different continents and generations.

“Each one of them offers a concrete path for living the faith amid the realities that young people face today,” Chung said, expressing his hope that participants will form a deep spiritual bond with the saints during the journey of preparation for WYD.

The Local Organizing Committee will continue presenting the lives and spirituality of the patron saints through the official WYD Seoul 2027 website and social media channels, while also developing new content and formation programs.

Along with the announcement, the committee also launched an interactive section titled “Meet Your Patron Saint!” Inspired by personality tests and digital quizzes, the feature asks young people a series of questions to help them discover which of the five saints most closely resembles their own personality. The goal is to help young people encounter the saints not only as historical figures but also as companions who can illuminate the questions and hopes of today.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Pope Leo XIV met with the archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, at the Vatican on Monday. Mullallyʼs first official visit to Rome as the spiritual leader of the Church of England comes amid strained ecumenical relations and division among Anglicans.

Mullally’s delegation for her April 25–28 visit included representatives from the Anglican Communion and the recently appointed Catholic archbishop of Westminster, Richard Moth.

A more difficult path to full communion

In his address to Mullally and her delegation on April 27, Leo said ecumenical dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion has recently become more challenging.

“While much progress has been made on some historically divisive issues, new problems have arisen in recent decades, rendering the pathway to full communion more difficult to discern,” Leo said. “I know that the Anglican Communion is also facing many of these same questions at this time. Nevertheless, we must not allow these continuing challenges to prevent us from using every possible opportunity to proclaim Christ to the world together.”

The pope added that it would be “a scandal if we did not continue to work towards overcoming our differences, no matter how intractable they may appear.”

Beyond Catholic-Anglican dialogue, Mullallyʼs election has further caused significant theological and ecumenical divides within the Anglican Communion, particularly regarding the ordination of women and sexuality.

Pope Leo has affirmed the Catholic Church’s teaching on a male-only priesthood. In the Anglican Communion, notable splits have arisen over the ordination of Mullally as a female bishop, particularly among the Global Anglican Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GAFCON) and other conservative branches of Anglicanism. In March, GAFCON announced its break with the See of Canterbury.

In 2023, the General Synod of the Church of England controversially voted to approve the blessing of same-sex couples in civil marriages, another point of division among Anglicans.

Hospitality despite differences Pope Leo XIV and Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally pray the Liturgy of the Hours together in the Urban VIII Chapel of the Apostolic Palace on April 27, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

After their meeting, the pope and the archbishop recited daytime prayer, part of the Liturgy of the Hours, together in the Chapel of Urban VIII in the Apostolic Palace.

In her address to the pontiff, Mullally thanked him for the opportunity to pray together and encouraged mutual hospitality despite differences.

“In our ecumenical journey, I believe the Holy Spirit is inviting us into a deeper practice of hospitality, not simply as welcome, but as a form of ministry,” Mullally said. “As I begin this ministry, I hope to be a shepherd who loves and cares for the Church, who encourages hospitality despite our differences, who speaks prophetically into our present reality, and who proclaims Christian hope with the confidence that the Gospel of Jesus Christ remains good news for our world today.”

Over the weekend, Mullally also visited the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls and St. Peter’s Basilica. On Monday evening, she will preside over choral evensong at the Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola, during which she will commission Bishop Anthony Ball as the archbishop of Canterbury’s official representative to the Holy See.

VATICAN CITY, April 26, 2026 — Pope Leo XIV ordained 10 new priests in St. Peter’s Basilica on Sunday, urging them to keep the doors of the Church open and to remember that their mission is to welcome, not to exclude.

“Today more than ever, especially when statistics seem to indicate a divide between people and the Church, keep the door open! Let people in, and be prepared to go out,” the pope said in his homily for the Mass on the Fourth Sunday of Easter, also known as Good Shepherd Sunday.

“This is another secret for your life: you are a channel, not a filter,” he told the ordinands.

Eight of the new priests were ordained for the Diocese of Rome, of which the pope is bishop: Guglielmo Lapenna, Giorgio Larosa, Jos Emanuele Nleme Sabate, Giovanni Emanuele Nunziante Salazar, Antonino Ordine, Yordan Camilo Ramos Medina, Daniele Riscica, and Cristian Sguazzino.

The pope also ordained Armando Roa Núñez, born in Mexico and incardinated in the Diocese of Miao in India, and Selwyn Pinto Loyce, born in Saudi Arabia and incardinated in the Institute of Christ the Redeemer, Idente Missionaries.

Reflecting on the Gospel in which Jesus says, “I am the gate,” Leo told the new priests to see themselves as servants of a suffering humanity that awaits abundant life.

“Never hide this holy door. Do not block it; do not be an obstacle to those who wish to enter,” he said. Quoting Jesus’ rebuke in Luke’s Gospel, he added: “You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.”

The pope said priestly ministry should be marked by communion and openness. “You belong to everyone and are for everyone!” he said. “Let this be the fundamental purpose of your mission: to keep the threshold open and direct others to it, without using too many words.”

Leo also urged the ordinands not to reduce Christian life to parish structures or ecclesial groups.

“The Church’s doors are open, but not to cut us off from life: life does not end in a parish, in an association, in a movement, in a group,” he said. “Whoever is saved can ‘go out and find pasture.’”

“Dear brothers, go out and discover culture, people and life!” the pope continued. “Marvel at the things that God makes grow without our having sown them.”

The pope also spoke about celibacy, comparing it to the love of spouses.

“Certainly, like the love of spouses, the love that inspires celibacy for the Kingdom of God must also be guarded and constantly renewed, for every true affection matures and becomes fruitful over time,” he said.

He told the new priests that the deeper their bond with Christ, “the more radical” their belonging to humanity becomes, adding that they are called to be “not only good priests but also honest, helpful citizens, builders of peace and social friendship.”

The pope warned against fear and the search for scapegoats, saying that the need for security today can make people aggressive and cause communities to close in on themselves.

“May your security not lie in the role you hold, but in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus as well as in your participation, along with your people, in the story of salvation,” he said.

The communities to which the priests will be sent, he said, are already places where the risen Christ is present.

“These communities will also help you to become saints!” Leo said. “For your part, help them to walk together, following Jesus, the Good Shepherd, so that they may become places — gardens — of life that rise anew and share themselves with others.”

He added: “Facilitating encounters, helping to bring together those who would otherwise never meet, and conciliating division is one and the same as celebrating the Eucharist and Reconciliation. Coming together always means planting the Church anew.”

Later on Sunday, before leading the Regina Caeli from the window of the Apostolic Palace, Pope Leo returned to the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd and the gate of the sheepfold.

“Jesus does not come as a thief to take away our life and our freedom, but to lead us along the paths of righteousness,” he said. “He does not come to ensnare or deceive our conscience, but to illuminate it with the light of his wisdom. He does not come to taint our earthly joys, but to open them to a fuller and more lasting happiness.”

“Those who entrust themselves to him have nothing to fear,” the pope said, “for he does not deprive us of life, but comes to give it to us in abundance.”

Leo urged the faithful to be vigilant about who or what enters “the gate” of their hearts.

“‘Thieves’ can take many forms,” he said, citing those who “suppress our freedom or fail to respect our dignity,” as well as “beliefs and biases,” “mistaken ideas,” and “superficial and consumeristic lifestyles” that leave people empty inside.

He also pointed to those who harm humanity by “pillaging the earth’s resources, waging blood-thirsty wars, or fueling evil in any form,” saying they “do nothing but rob each of us of the possibility of a future marked by peace and serenity.”

The pope invited the faithful to examine their consciences: “Who do we want to guide us in life? Which ‘thieves’ have tried to break into our fold? Have they succeeded, or have we managed to ward them off?”

After the Regina Caeli, Leo recalled the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, calling it a warning about the risks of powerful technologies.

“Let us entrust those who died and all who still suffer from the aftermath of the disaster to God’s mercy,” he said. “I hope that discernment and responsibility will always prevail at every level of decision-making so that all use of atomic energy may be placed at the service of life and peace.”

The pope also offered a special greeting to the relatives and friends of the new priests of the Diocese of Rome.

“Please continue to accompany these young ministers of the Gospel with your prayers,” he said.

This story was first published in two parts by ACI Prensa, EWTN News’ Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Pope Leo XIV recently completed an 11-day trip visiting the faithful in Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea. With stops in 11 cities across those countries, the Holy Father met with the youth, political leaders, prisoners, families, and many more to share the Gospel message.

Here are seven powerful moments from Pope Leo’s trip to Africa:

1. Moving visit to the land of St. Augustine

Pope Leo XIV traveled from Algiers to Annaba — ancient Hippo — in what for the Augustinian pontiff amounted to a return to the roots of his faith and vocation.

After a flight of about an hour, the pope arrived in the city most closely associated with St. Augustine, who served as bishop of Hippo from 396 to 430.

Despite pouring rain, the pope walked through the ruins and, at the end of the route, laid a wreath of flowers and stopped for a moment of prayer, visibly moved.

Tweet2. Visit to the Great Mosque of Algiers

While in Algeria, the pope visited the Great Mosque of Algiers (Djamaa el Djazaïr), often referred to as the “Mosque of Algeria.” Featuring the world’s tallest minaret — rising approximately 265 meters (about 870 feet) — and ranking as the third-largest mosque after those in Mecca and Medina, the monumental complex can accommodate up to 120,000 worshippers.

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The tradition of popes visiting mosques began with Pope John Paul II, who in 2001 became the first pope in history known to have entered a mosque when he visited the Great Mosque of Damascus in the capital of Syria.

Pope Leo addressed criticism directed toward him on April 15 on board the papal plane after leaving Algiers bound for Cameroon.

“I think the visit to the mosque was significant [and showed] that although we have different beliefs, we have different ways of worshipping, we have different ways of living, we can [still] live together in peace,” the Holy Father said.

“I think that to promote that kind of image is something which the world needs to hear today,” he said, arguing that such visits show that “together we can continue to offer in our witness as we continue on this apostolic voyage.”

3. Joy-filled children welcome Pope Leo in Cameroon

Pope Leo XIV was welcomed by the songs and dances of children at the Ngul Zamba Orphanage in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

“Dear children, I know that many of you have endured difficult trials. Some of you have known the pain of loss through the death of parents or loved ones. Others have experienced fear, rejection, abandonment, deprivation, and uncertainty. Yet, you are called to a future that is greater than your wounds. You are bearers of a promise," the pope said.

Run for 40 years by the religious congregation the Daughters of Mary, the Ngul Zamba Orphanage — whose name means “Strength of God” — provides food, lodging, and education to poor or abandoned children.

In another heartfelt moment, at the end of the afternoon Mass in Bamenda, Cameroon, as the pope was preparing to leave the airport and get into his car, a little girl ran up to hug him. This spontaneous gesture, amid the joy and emotion of the 20,000 present, captured the hearts of millions around the world.

Facebook post4. Rosary gathering at the Mama Muxima Shrine

While in Angola, Pope Leo took part in a rosary gathering at the Marian shrine of Mama Muxima.

The shrine, whose name means “Mother of the Heart” in Kimbundu, is one of Angola’s best-known Marian sanctuaries. Built by the Portuguese in the 17th century on a hill overlooking the Kwanza River, it has long been a place of pilgrimage and prayer for Angolan Catholics.

The crowd in attendance erupted into applause when the Holy Father spoke in Kimbundu, a Bantu language spoken in Angola.

He said: “Mama Muxima, tueza kokué, Mama Muxima, tutambululé,” which means: “Mother of the heart, we come to you; Mother of the heart, receive us.”

Tweet5. Pope Leo visits psychiatric hospital

The Holy Father visited the Jean-Pierre Olié Psychiatric Hospital in Equatorial Guinea. With its six pavilions, it represents a major development in the treatment of mental illness in Equatorial Guinea, where psychiatric disorders were historically neglected. Founded in 2014, it is the country’s first modern center of its kind and has become a symbol of the national commitment to integrating patients into society.

The event included songs, dancing, and testimonies from both the hospital’s director and a patient, Pedro Celestino Nzerem Koose. A moving poem by a former patient was also recited.

“Whenever I visit a hospital, I have mixed feelings: on the one hand, I feel sorrow for the patients and their families. On the other, I admire and am comforted by all that is done there each day to serve human life,” the pope said in an address delivered in Spanish. “I feel the same way here, but today, I find — and I hope the same is true for you — that joy prevails. It is the joy of meeting in the name of the Lord and of caring for those who are in frail health.”

Tweet6. Pope Leo visits a prison

The pope paid a visit to the Bata penitentiary in Equatorial Guinea and told inmates that “no one is excluded from God’s love” and urged them to see that even behind bars, there remains the possibility of change, reconciliation, and hope.

This local prison is one of the country’s harshest and long known for difficult detention conditions.

One of the more than 600 inmates thanked the pope for his visit and support.

“We wish to thank you for your visit and your support,” the prisoner said. “Your presence reminds us of the importance of faith and redemption. We ask for your blessing to keep moving forward and to come out of this as better people. We are grateful for your compassion and for your message of hope.”

Tweet7. The final Mass in Africa

Pope Leo XIV celebrated the final Mass of his Africa trip at Malabo’s stadium, urging the Church in Equatorial Guinea to continue proclaiming the Gospel “with passion” and to bear witness through lives shaped by faith, service, and solidarity.

The Mass in the stadium, where about 30,000 faithful were expected, marked the pope’s last major public event in Equatorial Guinea, the fourth and final African nation on his 11-day journey.

After riding through the crowd in the popemobile, Leo began Mass amid flags, songs, and colorful hats, with music and dance accompanying the liturgy.

The Holy Father also prayed before an image of Our Lady of Bisila, mother and patroness of Equatorial Guinea.

Clothed in white and blue, carrying the child Jesus on her back in the traditional African way, the Virgin of Bisila shows a mother who walks with her people in every struggle and hope. According to local tradition, she appeared to a humble Bubi woman on Bioko Island in the early 20th century (exact year is not clearly attested), and love of her grew until she became the beloved icon of the nation’s Marian devotion.

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The Diocese of Rome shared the testimonies of eight seminarians who, on April 26, Good Shepherd Sunday, will be ordained priests by Pope Leo XIV. Among them is Christian Sguazzino, who as a child was once kicked out of Mass by a priest because he was causing "chaos.”

Sguazzino, together with Deacon Danilo Defant and Sister Ester Maddalena Iapenna, will share their testimonies on Friday, April 24, at St. John Lateran Basilica, the cathedral church of Rome, during the prayer vigil for vocations.

Sguazzino discovered his vocation at St. John of the Cross Parish. “When I was a child — after having made my first Communion — I would go play soccer and then attend Mass every day, always bringing a friend along,” the future priest recounted.

“At that time, there wasn’t even a proper church building; instead, services were held in tents. My friends and I, naturally, caused a bit of chaos. So, one day the assistant pastor kicked us out and told us we would be excommunicated!” he shared with a smile.

Recalling that time of mischief, Sguazzino said that “even then — despite everything — I felt the joy of being in church; I loved looking at the altar and the tabernacle.” Along his journey, he emphasized, it was crucial to meet “so many priests who were happy to be priests. Their witness was fundamental.”

An uncle who was a priest always supported him

Yordan Camilo Medina is Colombian and has an uncle who is a priest. As a child, he recounted, “I used to accompany him to take Communion to the mountain communities, and the joy of the faithful upon receiving the body of Christ was incredible.”

“Now he, too, is in Rome, and I have followed him here on my path of priestly formation. He has always supported me,” he added.

He dreamed of becoming a friar

Giovanni Emanuele Nunziante is 32 years old. He was born in Rome but spent part of his childhood in England. “If I had to tell you how my vocation began, my earliest memory dates back to when I was a child,“ he said. ”I didn’t yet fully understand what it meant to be a priest, but I dreamed of being close to the Lord and toyed with the idea of ​​becoming a friar. Then, it all faded into oblivion!”

The call returned with force in 2016, during the Fourth Sunday of Easter. “Upon hearing the Gospel of the Good Shepherd, that desire to be close to the Lord in a special way returned ... I realized that my deepest desire was to offer my life just as Jesus did — the Good Shepherd,” he said.

The influence of the Neocatechumenal Way

Antonino Ordine, 27, related that his vocation was born within the faith formation program known as the Neocatechumenal Way: “I was born and raised in a very practicing family, and this led me to appreciate the beauty of the work the Church carries out on a daily basis. I was fortunate enough to meet priests and missionary families especially during a mission in Sweden who were fundamental to my discernment.”

He had wanted to become a doctor and after having served on missions in Latin America, the Middle East, and India, he realized that God was calling him to give himself completely out of love for him.

He was born in Africa into a non-Catholic family

Jos Emanuel Nleme Sabate was born in Cameroon. “My father was Protestant and we often prayed at home,” he said. “When I was 11 years old, I entered the minor seminary of my home diocese because it had a reputation as an excellent school. It was there that I learned about Catholicism.”

“I was baptized at the age of 12 and I believe it was during that rite, which was unfamiliar to me at the time, that I decided to become a priest,” he shared. He is now studying sign language and helping people with disabilities.

He was a pianist of international stature

“I come from a Catholic family,” Daniele Riscica related, “and I have always participated in parish activities; however, I studied at the Frosinone Conservatory and completed my piano studies in classical music. From there, I continued my career as a concert pianist.”

Regarded as a rising star of the international piano scene by the age of 24, he said, “I had already achieved many goals in life, yet I was not satisfied. I felt that God was calling me to something more. So I tried entering the seminary — almost as a test ... and there I felt happy.”

He is grateful for his parents' faith

Giorgio Larosa is 30 years old and said that his “vocation was born out of attending the parish, thanks to the faith my parents instilled in me.”

His parents' example, as well as “the example of other Christians, laypeople and priests, was also very powerful. In their stories, I saw the power of the Gospel,” he recounted.

He left his job and entered the seminary

Guglielmo Lapenna is 35 years old and worked in a liquor factory before beginning his formation for the priesthood.

“During World Youth Day 2016 in Kraków, I decided to leave my job and enter the seminary,” he shared, adding: “And the Lord has reaffirmed my vocation every day.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Pope Leo XIV departed Africa and returned to Rome on April 23, concluding an 11-day visit to several countries that marked his first visit as pope to the continent.

The Holy Father departed Equatorial Guinea after saying Mass at the coastal nationʼs Malabo Stadium. He had earlier visited Algeria, Cameroon, and Angola throughout mid-April.

Hereʼs a look at Leo XIVʼs departure from Africa and return home:

Pope Leo XIV waves from the popemobile at Malabo Stadium in Equatorial Guinea, Thursday, April 23, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Catholics smile during Mass with Pope Leo XIV at Malabo Stadium in Equatorial Guinea, Thursday, April 23, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets the faithful during Mass at Malabo Stadium in Equatorial Guinea, Thursday, April 23, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets a family during Mass at Malabo Stadium in Equatorial Guinea, Thursday, April 23, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV holds the chalice aloft during Mass at Malabo Stadium in Equatorial Guinea, Thursday, April 23, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV presides over Mass at Malabo Stadium in Equatorial Guinea, Thursday, April 23, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Crowds pray the Mass with Pope Leo XIV at Malabo Stadium in Equatorial Guinea, Thursday, April 23, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV stands beneath a towering crucifix during Mass at Malabo Stadium in Equatorial Guinea, Thursday, April 23, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV views a statue of the Virgin Mother and Christ Child at Malabo Stadium in Equatorial Guinea, Thursday, April 23, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV participates in a farewell ceremony at the Malabo International Airport in Equatorial Guinea before leaving the country to fly back to Rome at the conclusion of his 11-day Africa trip on April 23, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV speaks aboard the papal plane from Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, to Rome, following an 11-day trip in Africa, April 23, 2026. | Credit: Patrick Leonard/EWTN News Pope Leo XIV speaks to journalists aboard the papal plane to Rome, Thursday, April 23, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT — Pope Leo XIV spoke bluntly about war, migration, same-sex blessings, and the Holy See’s relations with authoritarian governments during a roughly 20-minute in-flight press conference with journalists traveling with him from Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, to Rome after his apostolic journey to Africa.

Before taking questions, the pope stressed that the primary purpose of a papal trip is pastoral rather than political.

“When I make a trip — speaking for myself, but today as pope, bishop of Rome — especially an apostolic, pastoral trip, it is to find, accompany, and come to know the people of God,” he said.

He added that such journeys should be understood above all as “an expression of wanting to announce the Gospel, proclaim the message of Jesus Christ,” and as a way “to draw close to the people in their happiness, in the depth of their faith, but also in their suffering.”

Asked about the chaotic state of negotiations aimed at ending the conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States, the pope called for a new mindset rooted in peace rather than violence.

“Certainly, I would like to begin by saying that we need to promote a new attitude, a culture of peace,” he said. “Many times when we evaluate certain situations, the immediate response is that we must enter with violence, with war, by attacking, and we have seen that many innocent people have died.”

Leo said the key question was not simply whether a regime should change but how to defend important values without more innocent victims.

“Regime change or no regime change, the question is how to promote the values in which we believe without the death of so many innocent people,” he said.

Describing the situation as “very complex,” the pope said the back-and-forth of negotiations had created “this chaotic and critical situation for the world economy,” while innocent people in Iran were suffering because of the war.

“Rather, I would encourage the continuation of dialogue for peace,” he said. “As Church, I say again, and as a pastor, I cannot be in favor of war, and I would like to encourage everyone to make every effort to seek responses that come from a culture of peace and not of hatred.”

Later in the exchange, responding to a question about reported executions by the Iranian regime, the pope issued an unequivocal condemnation.

“I condemn all actions that are unjust, I condemn the taking of people’s lives. I condemn capital punishment,” Leo said. “I believe that human life is to be respected, and that all people from conception to natural birth, their lives should be respected and protected. So when a regime, when a country, takes decisions which takes away the lives of other people unjustly, then obviously that is something that should be condemned.”

On migration, a major topic ahead of his next international apostolic journey to Spain, the pope said governments have the right to regulate their borders but insisted that wealthier nations must also address the deeper causes driving people to leave poorer countries.

“Evidently, the issue of migration is very complex and affects many countries, not only Spain, not only Europe, but also the United States; it is a global phenomenon,” he said.

Leo continued: “I personally believe that a state has the right to establish rules at its borders. I do not like the idea that everyone enters as if there were no order, and at times creating even more unjust situations than those they had left behind.”

At the same time, he challenged richer countries and multinational corporations to do more for developing nations, especially in Africa.

“But having said that, I ask: What are we doing in richer countries to change the situation in poorer countries?” he said. Referring to Africa, he added that for many people it is seen as “a place where one can go to take minerals, to take its riches, to enrich others in other countries.”

The pope insisted that migrants must always be treated with dignity.

“When people arrive, they are human beings and they deserve the respect that every human being deserves because of human dignity,” he said. “We need to treat human beings in a humane way and not treat them worse than household pets, animals, etc.”

A French journalist asked Leo how he avoids lending moral legitimacy to authoritarian rulers when he meets them during papal trips. The pope said such encounters can be interpreted in different ways, but he returned to the pastoral purpose of travel and the diplomatic mission of the Holy See.

“Certainly, the presence of a pope with any head of state can be interpreted in different ways,” he said. “I would go back to something I said in my initial remarks about the importance of understanding the primary purpose of the travel that I do, that the pope does to visit the people.”

He also defended the Vatican’s continued diplomatic engagement even with difficult governments.

“We don’t always make great proclamations, criticizing, judging, or condemning,” he said. “But there’s an awful lot of work that goes on behind the scenes to promote justice, to promote humanitarian causes.”

That work, he said, can include efforts to free political prisoners and respond to hunger and sickness. “So the Holy See, by maintaining if you will, a neutrality, and looking for ways to continue our positive diplomatic relationship with so many different countries, we’re actually trying to find a way to apply the Gospel to concrete situations, so that the lives of people can be improved.”

Questioned about the blessing of same-sex couples after a decision by German Cardinal Reinhard Marx in Munich and Freising, Leo said Church unity should not be reduced to sexual ethics.

“First of all, I think it’s very important to understand that the unity or division of the Church should not revolve around sexual matters,” he said. “We tend to think that when the Church is talking about morality, that the only issue of morality is sexual, and in reality, I believe there are much greater and more important issues, such as justice, the equality, freedom of men and women, freedom of religion, that would all take priority before that particular issue.”

Leo said the Holy See had already made clear to the German bishops that it does not agree with the “formalized blessing of couples,” including homosexual couples or couples in irregular situations, beyond what Pope Francis had permitted.

Invoking Francis’ well-known statement of “Tutti, tutti, tutti,” Leo said: “All are welcome, all are invited. All are invited to follow Jesus, and all are invited to look for conversion in their lives.”

“To go beyond that today, I think that the topic can cause more disunity than unity,” he added, “and that we should look for ways to build our unity upon Jesus Christ and what Jesus Christ teaches.”

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

MALABO, Equatorial Guinea — Pope Leo XIV celebrated the final Mass of his Africa trip on Thursday, urging the Church in Equatorial Guinea to continue proclaiming the Gospel “with passion” and to bear witness through lives shaped by faith, service, and solidarity.

The Mass at Malabo’s stadium, where about 30,000 faithful were expected, marked the pope’s last major public event in Equatorial Guinea, the fourth and final African nation on his 11-day journey.

After riding through the crowd in the popemobile, Leo began Mass amid flags, songs, and colorful hats, with music and dance accompanying the liturgy.

Before delivering his homily, the pope greeted the Archdiocese of Malabo and offered condolences for the recent death of its vicar general, Father Fortunato Nsue Esono, who died unexpectedly April 17 at age 39.

“We remember him in this Eucharist,” Leo said. “I invite you to live this moment of sorrow with a spirit of faith, and I trust that full light will be shed on the circumstances of his death.”

In his homily, preached in Spanish, the pope reflected on the day’s Scripture readings, especially the account in the Acts of the Apostles of the deacon Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch.

“When the deacon Philip approached a traveler who was returning from Jerusalem to Africa, he asked, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’” the pope said. “The pilgrim, a eunuch of the Queen of Ethiopia, replied immediately with humble wisdom: ‘How can I, unless someone guides me?’ His question is not only a search for truth, but also an expression of openness and desire.”

Leo said the figure of the eunuch reveals both human suffering and the liberating power of the Gospel.

“Yet, as he returns to his homeland of Africa, which for him has become a place of servitude, the proclamation of the Gospel sets him free,” the pope said. “Through his encounter with Philip, a witness of the crucified and risen Christ, the eunuch is transformed from a mere reader — a spectator — of Scripture into a protagonist in the very story that captivates him, because it now concerns him personally.”

“This African man thus enters into Scripture, which welcomes every reader who seeks to understand God’s word,” Leo continued. “He steps into salvation history, which embraces every man and woman, especially the oppressed, the marginalized and the least among us.”

The pope said Christians today, like the Ethiopian eunuch, read Scripture not in isolation but within the life of the Church.

“Together we read Scripture as the shared heritage of the Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, who inspired its composition, and by Apostolic Tradition, which has preserved and transmitted it throughout the world,” he said. “Like the eunuch, we too can come to understand the Word of God with the help of a guide who accompanies us on our journey of faith.”

Turning to the Gospel of John and Jesus’ teaching on the bread of life, Leo said Christ fulfills God’s saving work in history and leads every people out of slavery.

“Through Jesus’ Passover, the definitive exodus, every people is set free from the slavery of evil,” he said.

The pope also stressed that Christian faith does not erase suffering but illuminates it with hope.

“Our problems do not disappear in the Lord’s presence, but they are illuminated,” he said. “Just as every cross finds redemption in Jesus, so too the story of our lives finds its meaning in the Gospel.”

Quoting Pope Francis’ Evangelii Gaudium, Leo warned against spiritual self-absorption and called the faithful to keep making room for the poor, for God’s voice, and for the quiet joy of his love. He said it is precisely the Lord’s love that sustains Christians in the service of justice and solidarity.

He concluded by encouraging the local Church to continue its evangelical mission with joy.

“For this reason, I encourage all of you, as the living Church in Equatorial Guinea, to carry on the mission of Jesus’ first disciples with joy,” Leo said. “As you read the Gospel together, proclaim it with passion, just as the deacon Philip did. And as you celebrate the Eucharist together, bear witness through your lives to the faith that saves, so that God’s word may become good leaven for all.”

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Pope Leo XIV said Mass and visited with several communities including incarcerated prisoners during his first full day in Equatorial Guinea on April 22.

The itinerary represented the last full day the Holy Father will spend in Africa during the papal trip, which commenced on April 13 and has seen the pope visit Algiers, Cameroon, and Angola before finishing in the small coastal nation.

Hereʼs a look at some of Pope Leo XIVʼs activities in Equatorial Guinea on April 22:

Pope Leo XIV stands with airline staff en route to Mengomeyén, Equatorial Guinea, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV is greeted upon his arrival at Mengomeyén, Equatorial Guinea, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV is given a formal greeting upon his arrival at Mengomeyén, Equatorial Guinea, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV is greeted by Catholics at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Mengomeyén, Equatorial Guinea, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Colorful smoke drifts above Pope Leo XIV at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Mengomeyén, Equatorial Guinea, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV stands beneath a balloon formation of a rosary at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Mengomeyén, Equatorial Guinea, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV processes during Mass at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Mengomeyén, Equatorial Guinea, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV presides over Mass at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Mengomeyén, Equatorial Guinea, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV incenses the altar during Mass at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Mengomeyén, Equatorial Guinea, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV elevates the chalice during Mass at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Mengomeyén, Equatorial Guinea, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV speaks during Mass at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Mengomeyén, Equatorial Guinea, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets Catholics during Mass at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Mengomeyén, Equatorial Guinea, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets Catholics during Mass at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Mengomeyén, Equatorial Guinea, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV unveils a plaque at the Pope Francis Technology School in Mengomeyén, Equatorial Guinea, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV blesses the Pope Francis Technology School in Mengomeyén, Equatorial Guinea, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV is greeted upon his arrival in Bata, Equatorial Guinea, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV prays at a monument to those who died in the 2021 explosions at Bata, Equatorial Guinea, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV prays at the Cathedral of St. James and Our Lady of the Pillar in Bata, Equatorial Guinea, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV addresses prisoners at Bata Prison, Equatorial Guinea, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV speaks to prisoners at Bata Prison, Equatorial Guinea, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media A prison inmate in Bata, Equatorial Guinea, kisses the hand of Pope Leo XIV on April 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets a crowd under umbrellas during a meeting with families at Bata Stadium in Equatorial Guinea, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV waves to the crowd at a meeting with families at Bata Stadium in Equatorial Guinea, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media A crowd of families assembles during a meeting with Pope Leo XIV at Bata Stadium in Equatorial Guinea, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Dancers put on a show for Pope Leo XIV during a meeting with families at Bata Stadium in Equatorial Guinea, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV receives a gift from a woman while meeting with families at Bata Stadium in Equatorial Guinea, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV speaks while meeting with families at Bata Stadium in Equatorial Guinea, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

BATA, Equatorial Guinea — Pope Leo XIV met with young people and families on Wednesday evening in an event marked by singing, dancing, and a stadium full of jubilant Catholics waving Vatican and Equatorial Guinean flags.

Even under relentless rain, the atmosphere remained festive, with chants, songs to the Virgin Mary, and crowds greeting the pontiff as he rode around the field in the popemobile.

Before the pope spoke, Bishop Miguel Ángel Nguema Bee, apostolic administrator and head of youth ministry for the Equatorial Guinea bishops’ conference, welcomed him to the country and to the Diocese of Bata. He described Equatorial Guinea as “a young country, full of energy, questions, and a thirst for life” while acknowledging its challenges and affirming that “Christ is our light.”

Local songs and dances followed, along with the presentation of gifts to the pope, including a fishing net, a statue of the Virgin Mary, a model boat, and a staff — objects reflecting the country’s daily life and cultural traditions.

Several young people and families then gave testimonies.

A young worker, Alicia Ikimo Ipo, spoke about the meaning of being Christian in daily life and about bringing Christ into ordinary work and human relationships.

A young married couple, Purificación Nntongono Nguema and Jaime Antonio Ndong, shared their hope for an Equatorial Guinea marked by united and reconciled families, open to dialogue and forgiveness, and rooted in marriage as taught by the Church.

Seminarian Francisco Martín Nze Obiang spoke of overcoming fear in responding to God’s call, saying he had discovered that when Christ calls, he does not take anything away but gives everything.

The most moving testimony came from 13-year-old Arnoldo Abeso Ondo, who spoke about growing up with only his mother and about the importance for young people of respecting themselves, caring for themselves, and living responsibly.

The pope then turned to the testimonies he had heard.

Speaking about Alicia, he said: “In this regard, Alicia spoke to us about the importance of being faithful to one’s duties and of contributing to the good of the family and society through daily work.” He added that her words invite reflection “on the importance of productive, committed effort and on the need always to uphold the dignity of every human being.”

Turning to Francisco Martín’s witness, Leo said the seminarian “has given us a glimpse into the beautiful reality of so many young people who give themselves totally to God for the salvation of their brothers and sisters.”

Encouraging vocations, the pope said: “So, if you feel that Christ is calling you to follow him in a path of special consecration — as priests, religious sisters, or religious brothers — do not be afraid to follow in his footsteps. As he himself promised, I too wish to assure you today that you will receive ‘a hundredfold and … eternal life’ (Mt 19:29).”

Addressing family life and marriage, Leo said: “Many of you will prepare to receive the sacrament of holy matrimony. Being spouses and parents is an exciting mission — a covenant to be lived day by day. Within this covenant, you will continually rediscover one another as you cooperate with God in the miracle of life and in building happiness for yourselves and for your children.”

He urged couples to embrace marriage “as a journey of true love that grows in freedom; as a journey of hope, born from the knowledge that God will never abandon you; and as journey of holiness, in which you always seek the good and happiness of others.”

The pope also thanked Victor Antonio — the name given in the official text to the young witness whose testimony centered on the need to protect life and care for the vulnerable — saying: “I warmly thank Victor Antonio for sharing his story with such sincerity and courage.”

Leo added: “His testimony may unsettle us, but it does not discourage us. Rather, it invites us to build a better world — one founded on respect for burgeoning life and on a sense of responsibility toward the most vulnerable among us.”

He continued: “Victor Antonio has reminded us that welcoming life requires love, commitment, and care. These words, spoken by a young person, should lead us to reflect seriously on the importance of protecting and safeguarding the family and the values learned within it.”

Summing up his message as an appeal to Christian love, Leo said: “Let us be inspired by the beauty of love; let us become witnesses to the love that Jesus has given us and taught us! Let us show every day that it is beautiful to love — that the greatest joys, in every situation, come from knowing how to give and from giving of ourselves, especially when we reach out to those most in need.”

He concluded by linking charity lived in the home to the transformation of society itself: “The light of charity, nurtured in our homes and lived out in faith, can truly transform the world — even its structures and institutions — so that every person is respected and no one is forgotten.”

“Let us together make this a firm resolution, a joyful commitment,” he said, “so that the crucified and risen Christ — the light of Equatorial Guinea, of Africa, and of the whole world — may guide us all toward a future filled with hope.”

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

BATA, Equatorial Guinea — Pope Leo XIV visited a prison Tuesday afternoon, telling inmates that “no one is excluded from God’s love” and urging them to see that even behind bars, there remains the possibility of change, reconciliation, and hope.

The pope arrived in the coastal city of Bata after celebrating Mass earlier in the day in Mongomo.

Before going to the local prison — one of the country’s harshest and long known for difficult detention conditions — Leo stopped at the Cathedral of St. James and Our Lady of Pillar for a brief moment of prayer and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

At the prison, Leo XIV was welcomed by Justice Minister Reginaldo Biyogo Mba Ndong Anguesomo, the prison director, and the chaplain, Father Pergentino Esono Mba, 58, who has worked at the Bata penitentiary for 24 years.

One of the more than 600 inmates thanked the pope for his visit and support.

“We wish to thank you for your visit and your support,” the prisoner said. “Your presence reminds us of the importance of faith and redemption. We ask for your blessing to keep moving forward and to come out of this as better people. We are grateful for your compassion and for your message of hope.”

The chaplain, meanwhile, thanked the pope “for his message of mercy and forgiveness.”

“Your example inspires us to believe in the possibility of change and to trust that, even in darkness, God always opens a door of light and hope,” he said.

Pope Leo began by thanking the inmates for their witness.

“I have listened carefully to your words. Thank you for your sincerity and for showing us that human dignity and hope are never lost, even in the midst of difficulties,” he said.

“Today, I am here to tell you something simple: no one is excluded from God’s love! Each of us, with our unique stories, mistakes, and sufferings, remains precious in the Lord’s eyes.”

He also stressed that justice must be aimed not only at punishment but also at rebuilding lives.

“True justice seeks not so much to punish as to help rebuild the lives of victims, offenders, and communities wounded by evil. There is no justice without reconciliation.”

Hope and change were the central themes of the pope’s address.

“If any of you fear being abandoned by everyone, know that God will never abandon you and that the Church will stand by your side. Every effort toward reconciliation and every act of kindness can spark hope in others.”

He added: “God never grows tired of forgiving.”

After leaving the prison, the pope, under a torrential downpour, stopped briefly to pray at the memorial honoring the victims of a March 7, 2021, explosion.

That day, a series of four explosions struck a military barracks in the Nkoantoma neighborhood, a district of Bata. At least 107 people were killed and more than 600 were injured, with extensive damage reported across the city.

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Rome remembered Pope Francis' legacy one year after his death with a Mass on Tuesday at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, where the late pontiff is buried.

The same day, while en route to Equatorial Guinea to wrap up his trip to Africa, Pope Leo XIV remembered Pope Francis on the first anniversary of his death, highlighting his predecessorʼs “solidarity with the poorest, the most vulnerable, the sick, children, and the elderly.”

Cardinal Rolandas Makrickas, archpriest of the Basilica of St. Mary Major, sprinkles holy water on the tomb of Pope Francis at the aforementioned basilica in Rome on April 21, 2026. | Credit: Daniel Ibanez/EWTN News

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, celebrated the Mass with other cardinals and clergy resident in Rome. He read Leoʼs message at the Mass, in which the pope recalled Francis' missionary zeal.

“He was also a missionary, proclaiming the Gospel of mercy ‘to everyone, everyone, everyone,’” Leo wrote. “In harmony with his predecessors, he took up the legacy of the Second Vatican Council and urged the Church to be open to mission, a guardian of the world’s hope, passionate about proclaiming that Gospel which is capable of giving every life fulfillment and happiness.”

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, preaches at Mass for the first anniversary of the death of Pope Francis at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome on April 21, 2026. | Credit: Daniel Ibanez/EWTN News

Re described Leoʼs message as an invitation to preserve the legacy of Pope Francis, rooted in his “exhortation to build bridges and not walls.”

“The heart of this message seems to me a vibrant invitation to preserve the spiritual legacy of the late Pope Francis. A legacy summarized, as we have heard, through several of his key phrases: ‘the joy of the Gospel,’ ‘the mercy of God,’ ‘the smell of the sheep,’” Re said.

A special plaque commemorating the visits of Pope Francis to the Marian icon “Salus Populi Romani” is displayed at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome on April 21, 2026. | Credit: Daniel Ibanez/EWTN News

Before the Mass, a special plaque was blessed and unveiled to commemorate Francis' many visits to the Basilica of St. Mary Major. During his life, Francis frequently visited the basilica to venerate the Marian icon “Salus Populi Romani” and expressed his wish to be buried in the church near the icon.

The Mass was also attended by several ambassadors accredited to the Holy See, including Irish Ambassador Frances Collins and U.S. Ambassador Brian Burch.

After the Mass, all the cardinals processed to Francis' tomb for the final prayer, delivered by Cardinal Rolandas Makrickas, archpriest of the basilica.

Commending the late pontiff to the mercy of God, Makrickas recalled that “hope does not disappoint,” a tribute to the papal bull with which Francis inaugurated the Jubilee Year 2025, which drew over 20 million people to St. Mary Major and his tomb.