VATICAN CITY — Cardinal Emil Paul Tscherrig, a former apostolic nuncio, died Tuesday at the age of 79. He was born Feb. 3, 1947, in Unterems, Switzerland.

Tscherrig was ordained a priest on April 11, 1974. He later earned a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical Gregorian University. In 1978, he entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See.

He served in Uganda, South Korea, Mongolia, and Bangladesh.

On May 4, 1996, Pope John Paul II appointed him titular archbishop of Voli and apostolic nuncio to Burundi. He was consecrated the following June 27 by then-Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano.

On July 8, 2000, he was named nuncio to Trinidad and Tobago, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Grenada, Guyana, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and the Bahamas, and later also to Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Suriname, and St. Kitts and Nevis.

On June 22, 2004, he became apostolic nuncio to South Korea and Mongolia.

On Jan. 26, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him apostolic nuncio to Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway.

On Jan. 5, 2012, he was transferred to lead the apostolic nunciature in Argentina.

On Sept. 12, 2017, Pope Francis appointed him apostolic nuncio to Italy and San Marino. He was the first non-Italian to hold the post.

Pope Francis created him a cardinal of the Holy Roman Church at the consistory of Sept. 30, 2023, assigning him the deaconry of San Giuseppe in Via Trionfale.

On March 11, 2024, Tscherrig stepped down as apostolic nuncio to Italy and San Marino after reaching the age limit. He was succeeded by Archbishop Petar Rajič.

In May 2025, he took part in the conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV.

At the time of his death, Tscherrig was a member of the cardinalatial commission of the Institute for the Works of Religion, commonly known as the Vatican bank.

Pope Leo XIV expressed his “deep condolences” upon learning of Tscherrig’s death, Vatican News reported. In a telegram, the pope conveyed his thoughts to the cardinal’s family and to the diocesan community of Sion, where Tscherrig was incardinated, and recalled with gratitude his “faithful service as a papal representative in various countries and later as a member of several dicasteries of the Holy See.”

The pope said the late cardinal “acted generously” and “bore witness to love for the Church and for the successor of Peter.” He entrusted the soul “of this minister of the Gospel” to God, praying that he may “welcome him into the light that knows no sunset,” and invoked the intercession of the Virgin Mary while sending his apostolic blessing to all those affected “by this sudden loss.”

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.

The Institute for the Works of Religion (IOR), also known as the “Vatican bank,” closed 2025 with a net profit of 51 million euros, an increase of 55.5% over the 32.8 million euros recorded the previous year.

The institution, founded by Pope Pius XII in 1942 and staffed by just over 100 employees, thus consolidated a trend of sustained growth.

According to the annual accounts report published Monday, May 11, at the Vatican, the result was mainly due to improved operating performance amid favorable market conditions and active, disciplined portfolio management.

Net banking income rose to 66.3 million euros, compared with 51.5 million euros in 2024, while net interest income grew to 32.3 million euros. Net commission income remained stable at about 26 million euros.

The stronger results made it possible to approve a dividend of 24.3 million euros for the Holy Father, 76.1% more than the previous year, in keeping with the institute’s mission to support religious and charitable works.

Capital strength and asset growth

One of the most notable figures was the Tier 1 capital ratio, a key financial indicator that measures a bank’s financial strength and its ability to absorb losses while continuing to operate.

The report underscored the Vatican bank’s robust position, with a Tier 1 capital ratio of 71.9%, reflecting an extraordinary level of solvency.

The figure means the bank covers 71.9% of its risk-weighted assets — loans and investments — with the highest-quality core capital, such as ordinary shares, reserves, and retained earnings. This places the institution among the strongest in the world in terms of capitalization and liquidity.

According to the results for the past fiscal year, the total volume of client assets managed by the IOR — including deposits, current accounts, managed assets, and securities held in custody — rose to 5.9 billion euros at year-end, 200 million euros more than the previous year.

The institute’s net assets also grew to 815.3 million euros, an increase of 83.4 million euros, while comprehensive income reached 97.2 million euros, up 25% year over year.

Investments aligned with Catholic social teaching

The IOR emphasized that all of its financial activity is carried out in full coherence with the principles of Catholic social teaching. All of its portfolio management strategies recorded positive returns in 2025, within an investment approach that promotes only options compatible with the Catholic faith.

In this context, the institute strengthened its offerings by combining its own capabilities with the collaboration of more than 11 international asset managers. In February, together with Morningstar, it also launched two new equity indexes designed as benchmarks for Catholic investments worldwide.

Clean audit opinion and change in presidency

The IOR’s financial statements — for an institution whose accounts are limited to Catholic institutions, clergy, Vatican employees, and embassies and ambassadors accredited to the Holy See — received a “clean” opinion from Deloitte & Touche and were approved April 28 by the Board of Superintendence and the Commission of Cardinals.

The fiscal year also coincided with a change in the institute’s presidency: Jean-Baptiste de Franssu ended his mandate after the approval of the financial statements and was succeeded by François Pauly.

With 115 employees and about 12,000 clients in more than 110 countries — all linked to the Church — the IOR reaffirmed its role as a financial instrument at the service of the Church’s mission under a model that combines prudent growth, security, and client focus.

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.

On May 8, the Vatican issued a commemorative stamp marking the first anniversary of the election of Pope Leo XIV.

The stamp, issued by the Vatican City Postal and Philatelic Service, features a portrait of the Holy Father set against an image of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii, whose feast the Church celebrates on May 8. In the portrait, the Blessed Virgin looks down toward Pope Leo “as a sign of maternal protection,” Raúl Berzosa, the artist, explained.

In a statement to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, Berzosa reflected on this work and also delved into the creative implications of artificial intelligence.

This new philatelic series marks another collaboration between Berzosa, who is from Málaga, Spain, and the Vatican, notable among which are his painting created for the commemorative stamp marking Pope Francis' 80th birthday in 2016 and the stamp dedicated to the golden jubilee of the pontiffʼs priestly ordination, produced in 2019.

Berzosa’s work includes the stamps for Easter released by the Vatican Philatelic Office in 2020, 2022, and 2024. In addition is the recent stamp dedicated to the composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, issued during the pontificate of Leo XIV.

The latest stamp will be priced at 1.35 euros ($1.59) and will have a limited print run of 45,000 copies. The stamps were printed by Bpost (Belgium) using four-color offset lithography.

AI ‘doesn’t live what it depicts’

“I believe that sacred art is not merely the final result we see; it‘s the product of reflection. The time and effort invested are what give it the artist’s personal imprint,” Berzosa noted when asked about the value and appropriateness of AI-generated Catholic imagery.

“I’ve seen AI-generated images that are very beautiful or striking, yet they convey the sensation of being images seen before. AI, of course, does not feel or experience what it depicts. The artist, by contrast, leaves something of himself in every work,” he pointed out.

The Spanish painter noted that we are witnessing “a flood” of AI-generated images and videos, some in fact created using the works of human artists. “I have seen my own paintings ‘come to life and move,’ and seeing them gave me a bittersweet feeling,” Berzosa shared.

“From what I’ve seen, AI typically generates whatever grabs the most attention: perfect faces, highly dramatic lighting, or visually stunning scenes, yet they all tend to look alike,” he commented.

The artist also noted that throughout centuries of Christian art history, “an infinite number of distinct artworks and styles” have emerged, something that today “stands in contrast to images created with AI.”

‘Human discernment remains fundamental’

Berzosa explained that religious images “are not merely decorative” but also serve as “a tool for evangelization.” This has been the historical function of images within Catholicism: to help the faithful draw closer to God and to the message of the Gospel.

“With AI, there is a risk of creating images that are overly artificial or hollow, where the sacred is transformed almost into fantastical imagery. I believe that, here and now, human discernment remains fundamental,” he noted.

“Technology can help, but human sensibility is needed to know which image is appropriate,” he added.

However, Berzosa clarified that AI can serve as a complementary tool for artists. “I don’t believe that technology is the enemy of art,” he said. “I think that artists have always used new tools,” he remarked.

“Often, viewing images — works of art as well as images created by AI — can be beneficial when seeking ideas; they can help in studying lighting or preparing compositions before beginning a work,” he noted.

The greatest obstacle, he continued, arises when technology completely supplants human skill and talent, the artist’s unique vision: “AI can create viable images, but ones that require subsequent interpretation by the artist. When used well, AI can be an important complement, a tool of its time,” he noted.

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 said the principal threat facing both religion and science today is the denial of the existence of objective truth. He made this statement on May 11 during an audience granted to members of the Vatican Observatory Foundation, which supports the work of the observatory located in Castel Gandolfo.

“Today, however, science and religion face a different, and perhaps more insidious, threat: those who deny the very existence of objective truth,” the pontiff said.

During his address, he recalled that his predecessor Pope Leo XIII refounded the Vatican Observatory in 1891 in a context where science was beginning to emerge as a rival source of truth to religion. Because of this, he said, the Church felt the “urgent need to counter the growing perception that faith and science were enemies.” 

Exploitation of natural resources

“Too many in our world refuse to acknowledge what both science and the Church clearly teach: that we bear a solemn responsibility for the care of our planet and for the well-being of those who inhabit it, especially the most vulnerable, whose lives are threatened by the irresponsible exploitation of both people and the natural world,” Leo said.

He underscored that the Church’s commitment to “rigorous and honest science remains not only valuable but essential.”

The pope also highlighted the unique role of astronomy within this context. “It occupies a particular place in this mission,” he affirmed while emphasizing its capacity to evoke wonder and a sense of proportion in human beings: “It awakens in us both admiration and a healthy sense of proportion.”

“Contemplating the heavens invites us to view our fears and failures in the light of God’s immensity,” he noted.

However, he lamented, “this gift is today threatened” by light pollution.

“To paraphrase Pope Benedict [XVI], we have filled our skies with artificial light that blinds us to the lights God has placed in them — an eloquent image,” he suggested, “of sin itself,” citing a 2012 homily by the German pontiff.

Gratitude for scientific work

The pope expressed his gratitude to the scientists and benefactors associated with the foundation, whose work sustains the activities of the Vatican Observatory.

“Your generosity makes it possible for the Vatican Observatory to share the wonder of astronomy with students around the world and to offer workshops and summer courses to those working in Catholic schools and parishes," he said.

"Ultimately, it is your dedication that keeps the observatory’s telescopes and laboratories faithful to their original purpose: to be places where the glory of God’s creation is encountered with reverence, depth, and joy,” he added.

Finally, the pontiff exhorted them to “never lose sight of the theological vision that animates all of this."

“It’s not surprising that people of deep faith feel called to explore the origins and workings of the universe," he said. "The desire to better understand creation is but a reflection of that restless yearning for God that dwells in the heart of every human being."

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.

Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé discussed peace and strengthening relations with the Holy See in Rome over the weekend. The head of the transitional government was received by Pope Leo XIV on Saturday and then spoke with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations.

In a brief conversation with EWTN News, Parolin revealed that “we also talked about concrete initiatives regarding peace” with the prime minister, such as a conference on peace in Haiti, but “there is nothing in particular at the moment.” The secretary of state acknowledged that the local Church “is certainly active, helps, and contributes” on the ground.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state (center); Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé (right); and Cypriot Ambassador to the Holy See Georges Poulides, dean of the Diplomatic Corps (left), after the Mass for peace in Haiti at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Credit: Bohumil Petrík/EWTN News

“During the cordial talks,” the Holy See Press Office said in a release, both sides appreciated “good relations,” stressing the “valuable contribution that the Church offers to the country at this particular time.”

They touched upon “the socio-political situation and problems in the humanitarian field, migration, and security fields” while mentioning “the necessary contribution of the international community to face current difficulties,” the communiqué concluded.

Haiti is experiencing a multidimensional crisis. The country was struck by a devastating earthquake in 2010 and a subsequent cholera outbreak. In 2021, President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated, and the security and political situation deteriorated. Armed gangs control large parts of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and there have not been general elections for a decade. The next general elections are scheduled for Aug. 30.

“We want to organize elections, ensure security, and move from receiving humanitarian aid to entering the commerce and market,” the prime minister said after the Mass for peace in Haiti, presided over by Parolin in the Basilica of St. Mary Major following the audience at the Vatican.

Fils-Aimé added that the audience with Pope Leo “was very emotional.” He appreciated “the exceptional relation with the Holy See,” highlighting that “the morale of the Catholic Church” is a “positive” factor in Haitian society.

“Looking at the current international situation,” Parolin said in his homily, “we can all recognize how much our world needs Godʼs presence and, therefore, the gift of peace.”

Cardinal Pietro Parolin gives the homily at the Mass for peace in Haiti at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Credit: Bohumil Petrík/EWTN News

The Vaticanʼs secretary of state said that “peace is the first gift of the Resurrected” and so “we are called to bring Christʼs peace to the world.” Quoting St. Augustine, the prelate underscored that “peace is not a mere absence of war, as it has a profound significance and challenges all of us.”

He ended his homily with the hope that “peace may reign in Haiti forever.”

New embassy inaugurated near the Vatican walls

On Sunday, May 10, the prime minister and Foreign Affairs and Religious Affairs Minister Raina Forbin inaugurated the new seat of the embassy of Haiti to the Holy See, located just off the Vatican walls.

“It is not just a simple change of address,” said the embassyʼs chargé dʼaffaires, Marie Guerline Janvier, adding that it shows “a political will to strengthen traditional and privileged relations with the Holy See.”

In this way, Haiti hopes to increase its visibility at the Holy See and to facilitate dialogue and collaboration.

Pope Leo XIV on Monday appointed Bishop Steven J. Lopes, bishop of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter, to also lead the Anglican ordinariate in Australia, effective immediately.

There are three personal ordinariates erected for former Anglicans who convert to Catholicism: the Chair of Saint Peter for the United States and Canada, Our Lady of Walsingham for the United Kingdom, and Our Lady of the Southern Cross for Australia.

The Vatican also announced on May 11 that Archbishop Anthony Randazzo — who was named prefect of the Dicastery for Legislative Texts in March — has concluded his role as apostolic administrator of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross, which began on July 1, 2023.

Each of the three Anglican ordinariates is a personal (non-territorial) jurisdiction, similar to a diocese but defined by people (those with an Anglican background who have entered full communion with the Catholic Church) rather than by strict geographical boundaries. Any Catholic may belong to or attend an ordinariate parish.

“As I conclude my time as apostolic administrator, I give thanks for the grace-filled growth of the Ordinariate [of Our Lady of the Southern Cross] and the faithful witness of its clergy and people,” Randazzo wrote on his Facebook page on May 11.

“It has been a privilege to serve the Ordinariate during this period of renewal and hope,” he said. “I am encouraged by the strong foundations laid and the emerging signs of vitality, and I remain confident that its mission will bear fruit well into the future.”

The Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross is based out of a suburb of Sydney. Randazzo was also the bishop of Broken Bay, Australia, from 2019 to 2026.

Lopes, who was ordained a bishop for the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter in 2016, wrote to members in an email on May 11 that he has been privileged to come to know the Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross over the years and to now “be its custodian for a while.”

Lopes has been appointed apostolic administrator “sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis,” which means “the see being vacant and at the disposition of the Holy See.”

Lopes, who is originally from California, has a doctorate in sacred theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Ordained a priest in 2001, he served as an official at the then-Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith from 2005 until his appointment as bishop of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter, of which the mother church and cathedral is in Houston.

The Vatican reaffirmed its support for the Anglican ordinariates in a document issued by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith in March.

In “Characteristics of the Anglican Heritage as Lived in the Ordinariates Established Under the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus,” the Vatican highlighted key characteristics of the Anglican patrimony as lived in the ordinariates, including a distinctive “ecclesial ethos” in which both the laity and the clergy participate actively in Church governance, and a focus on evangelization through beauty in worship, music, and art.

Pope Leo XIV called on Christians and Muslims to resist the growing danger of apathy in modern society, warning May 11 that the constant stream of images of human suffering can “dull our hearts rather than stir them” and urging believers to “transform indifference into solidarity.”

The pope made the appeal during an audience with participants in the eighth colloquium between the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue and the Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies, held under the theme “Human Compassion and Empathy in Modern Times.”

In his address in the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father said compassion and empathy are essential for “what it means to live a truly human life.”

The pope noted that the Muslim tradition associates compassion with mercy, “as a gift bestowed by God in the hearts of believers,” and that compassion “always has its origin in God himself.”

Likewise, he said, the Christian tradition’s sacred Scripture “reveals a God who does not remain indifferent to suffering.”

“In Jesus Christ, this divine compassion becomes visible and tangible,” he said. “God goes beyond seeing and hearing by taking on our human nature in order to become the living embodiment of compassion.”

Following Jesus’ example, Leo said, Christian compassion “becomes a sharing in or ‘suffering with’ others, particularly the most disadvantaged.”

“For our traditions, human compassion and empathy are not something additional or optional but are a call from God to reflect his goodness in our daily lives,” the pope said.

Addressing Jordan’s Prince Hasan bin Talal, who was present at the audience, the Holy Father expressed appreciation “for the generous efforts of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in welcoming refugees and assisting those in need in difficult circumstances.”

Leo lamented that “compassion and empathy are sadly in danger of disappearing today” in a society marked by technological advances that, in his view, “have made us more connected than ever before, but they can also lead to indifference.”

“The constant flow of images and videos of the hardships of others can dull our hearts rather than stir them,” he warned.

In the face of this reality, Leo said Christians and Muslims are called to a common mission: “to revive humanity where it has grown cold, to give voice to those who suffer and to transform indifference into solidarity.”

“Compassion and empathy can be our instruments as they have the power to restore the dignity of the other,” the pope added.

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

VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV on Sunday prayed for victims of growing violence in the Sahel, thanked the people of the Canary Islands for welcoming a cruise ship carrying people sick with hantavirus, and offered a special blessing for mothers during his Regina Caeli address in St. Peter’s Square.

Speaking after the Marian prayer May 10, the pope said he had learned “with concern” of increasing violence in the Sahel region, especially in Chad and Mali, which have been struck by recent terrorist attacks.

He assured his prayers for the victims and his closeness to those who are suffering, expressing hope that “every form of violence may cease” and encouraging efforts toward peace and development in the region.

The pope also marked the annual Coptic-Catholic Friendship Day, sending “fraternal greetings” to Pope Tawadros II and assuring his prayers for the Coptic Church. He said he hoped the path of friendship between Catholics and Copts would lead to “perfect unity in Christ, who called us friends.”

In Spanish, Pope Leo XIV thanked the people of the Canary Islands for allowing the arrival of the Hondius cruise ship with passengers sick with hantavirus. “I am happy to be able to meet you next month during my visit to the islands,” he said.

The pope also offered a Mother’s Day greeting, asking Mary, “the Mother of Jesus and our mother,” to intercede for all mothers, especially those living in difficult circumstances. “Thank you! May God bless you!” he said.

Before the Regina Caeli, Pope Leo reflected on the Gospel for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, in which Jesus tells his disciples: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

The pope said the words of Jesus free Christians from a misunderstanding: the idea that people are loved by God only if they keep the commandments.

“Our righteousness would then be the condition for God’s love,” he said. “On the contrary, God’s love is the condition for our righteousness.”

Jesus’ words, he said, are “an invitation to relationship,” not a form of blackmail or uncertainty.

The Lord commands his followers to love one another as he has loved them, Pope Leo said, because it is Christ’s love that gives birth to love in the human heart. Christ, he said, is the measure of true love: faithful, pure, unconditional, and without “buts” or “maybes.”

“Since God loves us first, we too can love,” he said. “And when we truly love God, we truly love one another.”

The pope said the commandments are not burdensome rules but “an order of life” that heals people from false loves and offers a spiritual path to salvation.

Because God loves his people, the pope continued, he does not leave them alone in life’s trials but promises the Paraclete, the Advocate, the “Spirit of truth.”

The Holy Spirit, he said, is a gift the world cannot receive while it remains attached to evil that oppresses the poor, excludes the weak, and kills the innocent. But those who respond to Jesus’ love find in the Holy Spirit an unfailing ally.

Pope Leo said Christians can always bear witness to God, who is love — not as an abstract idea, but as the reality of divine life, through which all things were created from nothing and redeemed from death.

Jesus, he said, shares with believers his identity as the beloved Son: “I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.”

This communion, the pope said, contradicts the work of the Accuser, “the father of lies,” who seeks to set humanity against God and people against one another. Jesus does the opposite, he said, saving his people from evil and uniting them as brothers and sisters in the Church.

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.

In recognizing the work of the Italian Association for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (AISLA, by its Italian acronym), Pope Leo affirmed that “in the various situations of life — especially the difficult ones — no one should be left alone.”

His words were delivered during an audience with members of the association, which took place Saturday at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican.

The Holy Father stated that the work of AISLA “unites people experiencing an illness—along with their family members and caregivers—in a therapeutic alliance of great closeness and proximity that faithfully reflects the manner in which Jesus himself approached those who suffer.”

ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, affects nerve cells in the brain, brainstem, and spinal cord that control the movement of voluntary muscles. The disease causes motor nerve cells to deteriorate or die, rendering them unable to send messages to the muscles.

Over time, this leads to muscle weakness, spasms, and an inability to move the arms, legs, and body. The condition continues to worsen, and when the muscles in the chest area cease to function, breathing becomes difficult or impossible.

The Pope expressed that patients — with commitment, faith, and courage — “bear witness that the goodness and value of life are greater than illness,” and that the challenges it presents “can be faced together, transforming them into special and privileged opportunities to give and receive love.”

“Thank you for this! As prophets, you teach everyone the true value of life — and our world desperately needs this message!” Pope Leo said.

He strongly emphasized the closeness of the association’s members to the sick — something he considers “very important,” as healthcare requires presence “for the well-being of the person in their various dimensions: biological, psychological, and spiritual.”

“The Church deeply senses the value of this ‘closeness’: standing alongside people — wherever they are, in their homes — to offer support, not only in terms of care but also in terms of spirituality, paying special attention to the questions regarding the meaning of suffering — questions that cannot be left unanswered,” he underscored.

“In the various situations of life — especially the difficult ones — no one should be left alone; and volunteering, which unites people through generosity, powerfully embodies this value by fostering solidarity and respect, and by responding with gestures of care to the culture of waste and death,” he added.

Finally, he invited them to reflect upon the Passion of Jesus, who chose to experience it “as a time of trial, of physical pain and spiritual suffering,” standing in solidarity with humanity to the very end and demonstrating to them “that pain and suffering cannot halt love nor nullify the power of God.”

Augustiner Brewery delivers beer

On May 9, Pope Leo also received pilgrims from the Edith Haberland-Wagner Foundation and the Augustiner Brewery, who presented him with beer as a gift. This gesture allowed the Pontiff to offer two points for reflection.

Pope Leo XIV with pilgrims from the Edith Haberland-Wagner Foundation and the Augustiner Brewery, who presented him with beer as a gift. | Credit: Vatican Media

First, he highlighted the pilgrims' connection to the Augustinian Order, to which he himself belongs. In this regard, he recalled the impact of Saint Augustine on his own life — a figure who “reminds us that we all possess gifts and talents bestowed upon us by God, and that our purpose, fulfillment, and joy derive from offering them in loving service to God and to our neighbor.”

The Augustiner Brewery is the oldest brewery in Munich and the last to remain privately owned. Its history dates back to 1328.

“I hope, therefore, that your pilgrimage not only strengthens you in faith but also inspires you to continue serving your brothers and sisters, especially those most in need,” he affirmed.

Then, recalling Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’, the Holy Father stated that man is called not only to care for creation, but also to “ensure that its resources are always used with wisdom and with a view to justice — an indispensable prerequisite for peace.”

“Therefore, upon returning home, I encourage you to continue contributing to the promotion of a just and effective approach to the care of creation, both in the professional and personal spheres, for the common good,” he concluded, imparting his blessing upon all present.

Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, prime minister of Haiti, a country which continues to suffer from a wave of violence and insecurity, was received by Pope Leo on Saturday.

Following the meeting, the Holy See Press Office reported that the discussions between the two men focused on “the good relations between the Holy See and Haiti” and “the valuable contribution that the Church offers to the country at this particular time.”

The meeting’s readout indicated that various current issues facing Haiti were also addressed during the meeting, including “the socio-political situation and challenges in the humanitarian matters, migration, and security” as well as “the necessary contribution of the international community in addressing the present difficulties.”

Following his meeting with the Holy Father, the prime minister was received by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations.

Haiti’s ongoing turmoil

Haiti continues to experience a complex situation of violence and insecurity, particularly in the country’s capital of Port-au-Prince, where armed gangs operate freely, controlling a large portion of the region.

In the midst of this backdrop, which also affects the Catholic Church, general elections are slated to be held on August 30, 2026, to elect the new president, members of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, as well as mayors.

The last elections in Haiti took place in 2016 and were marked by controversy. Following that process, Jovenel Moïse assumed the presidency. Moïse was assassinated in 2021 and since then Haiti has spiraled into further political chaos and violence.

Given the situation, in February of this year Bishop Pierre-André Dumas of Anse-à-Veau-Miragoâne, the current vice president of the country’s bishops’ conference, anticipated that this year’s elections will neither be “transparent” nor “democratic.”

The Holy See emphasized the need to place human dignity at the center of migration policies during its May 6 address to the Second International Migration Review Forum being held at United Nations headquarters in New York.

In a statement, Monsignor Robert D. Murphy, interim chargé dʼaffaires of the Holy See’s Permanent Observer Mission to the U.N., explained that the Holy See’s approach “is rooted in the Gospel and developed in Catholic social teaching, with the God-given dignity of every human person at its core."

He articulated several priorities, among them the protection of the lives of migrants, family unity, and the impact of technology on migration processes.

The statement was part of the policy debate regarding the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration (GCM), highlighting key current and emerging challenges.

The obligation to protect lives

Regarding the protection of life, Murphy expressed his concern about the vulnerability of migrants on dangerous routes, pointing out that “protecting migrants’ lives is an obligation under international law, based on the fundamental right to life.”

He also emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation in search and rescue operations and of ensuring that the right to life “is never subordinated to any other interests.”

With regard to family reunification, Murphy noted that regular pathways for this purpose remain limited and called for greater efforts to promote family unity, including its integration into labor mobility schemes and ensuring access to education and healthcare, with particular attention to minors.

The Vatican representative also addressed the role of technological innovation, recognizing its potential to improve migration systems and make them “more predictable, accessible, and efficient,” as seen with advancements made in telemedicine, digital recruitment tools, and online consular services.

However, he warned of the risks associated with the use of surveillance technologies at borders, which, he said, “has raised concerns” within the Holy See “regarding potential human rights violations.”

In this context, he drew attention to the need to establish “adequate safeguards, robust oversight, and full respect for migrants’ right to privacy.”

Online recruitment systems

The priest also denounced the phenomenon of so-called “cyber-slavery,” a growing threat driven by criminal networks that exploit globalization and technology, which he characterized as “particularly disturbing,” noting that in these cases, victims are coerced into participating in criminal activities such as online fraud or drug trafficking.

These forms of violence, he noted, “are not isolated incidents, but symptoms of a culture that has forgotten how to love as Christ loves.”

In his conclusion, Murphy quoted Pope Leo XIV to underscore the human dimension of migration: “Every migrant is a person and, as such, has inalienable rights that must be respected in every situation. Not all migrants move by choice, but many are forced to flee because of violence, persecution, conflict, and even the effects of climate change.”

Based on this situation, the Holy See warned that the debate on migration governance must not be reduced to a technical exercise.

“Behind each objective of the GCM and policy effort stands the God-given dignity of migrants, demanding not only better governance but also solidarity, collective responsibility, and sustained efforts to ensure their protection and inclusion,” he pointed out.

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 May 8 visited the historic Italian cities of Pompei and Naples, meeting with local citizens and clergy and celebrating Mass on the first anniversary of his election to the papacy.

The Holy Father visited the Pontifical Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary of Pompei and met with the public before concelebrating the Eucharist in the Piazza Bartolo Longo.

Later, in Naples, he met with clergy and visited the Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary.

Here is a look in photos of Pope Leo XIVʼs activities in Pompei and Naples as he marked one year as pope:

A banner greets Pope Leo XIV as he arrives in the Italian city of Pompei on Friday, May 8, 2026. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News Pope Leo XIV deboards the papal helicopter as he arrives in the Italian city of Pompei on Friday, May 8, 2026. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News Pope Leo XIV greets crowds in Pompei, Italy, on Friday, May 8, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets crowds at the Pontifical Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary of Pompei, Italy, on Friday, May 8, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV kisses a cross at the Pontifical Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary of Pompei, Italy, on Friday, May 8, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets crowds at the Pontifical Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary of Pompei, Italy, on Friday, May 8, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets a child at the Pontifical Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary of Pompei, Italy, on Friday, May 8, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV concelebrates Mass in Piazza Bartolo Longo in the Italian city of Pompei, Italy, on Friday, May 8, 2026. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News Pope Leo XIV concelebrates Mass in Piazza Bartolo Longo in the Italian city of Pompei on Friday, May 8, 2026. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News Pope Leo XIV prays at the Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary in Naples, Italy, on Friday, May 8, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV speaks to Catholics at the Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary in Naples, Italy, on Friday, May 8, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets crowds at the Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary in Naples, Italy, on Friday, May 8, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV waves to crowds in Naples, Italy, on Friday, May 8, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV waves to crowds in the Piazza del Plebiscito in Naples, Italy, on Friday, May 8, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets crowds in the Piazza del Plebiscito in Naples, Italy, on Friday, May 8, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets crowds in the Piazza del Plebiscito in Naples, Italy, on Friday, May 8, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV smiles while visiting the Piazza del Plebiscito in Naples, Italy, on Friday, May 8, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

POMPEI, Italy — Pope Leo XIV placed his pontificate under the protection of Mary during a visit to two cities in southern Italy on Friday — the first anniversary of his election to the papacy on May 8, 2025.

Leo celebrated Mass for an estimated 20,000 people outside the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompei, whose feast day is May 8, during the day trip to Pompei and Naples.

“Exactly one year ago,” the pope said in his homily, amid thunderous applause from the assembled faithful, “when the ministry of successor of Peter was entrusted to me, it was precisely the day of the Supplication to the Virgin, this beautiful day of the Supplication to the Virgin of the Holy Rosary of Pompei! I therefore had to come here, to place my service under the protection of the Holy Virgin.”

“Having then chosen the name Leo places me in the footsteps of Leo XIII, who, among his many merits, also developed a rich magisterium on the holy rosary. Added to all of this is the recent canonization of St. Bartolo Longo, apostle of the rosary,” Leo added.

Before Mass, the pope — who flew about 150 miles from Rome to Pompei by helicopter early on May 8 — visited the Shrine of Our Lady of Pompei. Despite forecasts of rain, thousands of people filled Bartolo Longo Square from the first light of dawn.

At the shrine, the Holy Father met the “Temple of Charity,” an organization that welcomes and assists people coming from situations of hardship.

Pope Leo XIV meets the “Temple of Charity,” an organization that welcomes and assists people coming from situations of hardship, during a pastoral visit to Pompei, Italy, on May 8, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

“Good morning, Pompei! Our Mother Mary — our mom — is always with us,” the pope said, informally greeting the faithful who were waiting for Mass. Before the Eucharistic celebration, Leo also greeted the sick and people with disabilities inside the shrine.

The pope’s homily at the outdoor Mass focused on the power of the rosary.

“The Hail Mary repeated in the holy rosary is an act of love,” he said. “Generations of believers have been shaped and safeguarded by this prayer — simple and popular, yet at the same time capable of mystical heights and a treasure chest of the most essential Christian theology.”

He also called the Hail Mary prayer “an invitation to joy.”

“It tells Mary, and in her all of us, that upon the ruins of our humanity, tried by sin and therefore always inclined to abuses, oppression, and war, the caress of God has come — the caress of mercy, which in Jesus takes on a human face. Mary thus becomes the mother of mercy.”

“When St. John Paul II proclaimed the Year of the Rosary [2002–2003], he wished to place it in a special way under the gaze of the Virgin of Pompei,” Leo XIV continued. “Times have not improved since then. The wars still being fought in so many regions of the world call for renewed commitment, not only economic and political, but also spiritual and religious.”

“Peace is born within the heart,” he added. “We cannot resign ourselves to the images of death that the news presents to us every day. St. Bartolo Longo, reflecting on Mary’s faith, called her ‘omnipotent by grace.’ Through her intercession, may an abundant outpouring of mercy come from the God of peace — touching hearts, calming resentments and fratricidal hatred, and enlightening those who bear special responsibilities of governance. No earthly power will save the world, but only the divine power of love.”

At the conclusion of Mass, Pope Leo prayed together with the faithful the traditional Supplication to Our Lady of Pompei.

The Supplication to the Queen of the Holy Rosary of Pompei was written in 1883 by St. Bartolo Longo. It is solemnly recited twice a year, at noon on May 8 and on the first Sunday of October. The supplication was composed in response to the invitation that Pope Leo XIII addressed to Catholics in his first encyclical on the rosary, Supremi Apostolatus Officio, calling for a spiritual commitment to confront the evils of society.

Pope Leo XIV prays at the Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary in Naples, Italy, on Friday, May 8, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Visit to Naples

After lunch in private, Pope Leo took a helicopter about 16 miles northwest to Naples, the capital city of the Campania region of Italy, where he met with priests and religious brothers and sisters in the Naples cathedral.

During his visit to the cathedral, Leo stopped in the Chapel of the Treasure of St. Januarius, where the miracle of the liquefaction of the blood of St. Januarius had taken place on May 3. The pope kissed the relic and with it blessed those in the packed cathedral.

After some time in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the pope addressed the Catholic community: “What I therefore ask of you is this: Listen to one another, walk together, create a symphony of charisms and ministries, and in this way find ways to move from a pastoral ministry of maintenance to a missionary pastoral ministry, capable of engaging with the concrete lives of people.”

“In a city marked by inequality, youth unemployment, school dropout rates, and fragile family situations, the proclamation of the Gospel cannot be separated from a concrete and supportive presence that involves everyone — priests, religious, and laypeople alike,” he added.

Pope Leo XIV then arrived in the popemobile to Piazza del Plebiscito, the main square of Naples, where authorities estimate about 50,000 people were present.

The pope’s address focused on peace and justice: a peace that “begins in the human heart, passes through relationships, takes root in neighborhoods and on the outskirts, and expands to embrace the entire city and the world.” A peace that needs justice “to be authentic” and that “can never be separated from charity.”

Leo also spoke about the “Neapolitan paradox:” on the one hand, the significant increase in tourism, which however struggles to correspond to “economic dynamism capable of truly involving the entire social community.” He described a city “marked by a social divide that no longer separates the center from the outskirts but is even evident within every area, with existential peripheries nested even in the heart of the historic center.” Faced with these disparities, Pope Leo XIV recalled the presence of the state as “more necessary than ever, to provide security and confidence to citizens and to take space away from organized crime.”

He then encouraged moving forward with the projects of hope taking shape in the city: “Gather your strength, work together, walk united — institutions, Church, and civil society — to connect the city, protect your children from the snares of hardship and evil, and restore to Naples its vocation to be a capital of humanity and hope.”

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

On May 8, 2025, white smoke billowed from the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, signaling that a new pope had been chosen. On that day, the world was introduced to Pope Leo XIV, known just hours before as Cardinal Robert Prevost, prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Bishops.

One year later, Pope Leo has captured the hearts of the faithful through his papal trips, events like canonizations and special liturgies, as well as through his spoken and printed words, including an apostolic letter, and much more.

Here are 10 of the most significant events and moments of Leo XIV’s first year as pope:

The new pontiffʼs inaugural Mass

On May 18, 2025, Pope Leo XIV inaugurated his pontificate with a Mass in St. Peter’s Square calling for a united Church. Addressing approximately 150,000 attendees, he emphasized fraternal communion, servant leadership, and reconciliation, marking the official start of his ministry as the 266th successor of St. Peter.

At the Mass, concelebrated with the members of the College of Cardinals, Leo expressed his intention to “come to you as a brother, who desires to be the servant of your faith and your joy, walking with you on the path of God’s love, for he wants us all to be united in one family.”

Instagram postVisit to Pope Francis’ tomb

Less than 48 hours after his election, Pope Leo made his first visit outside of the Vatican visiting the Shrine of the Mother of Good Counsel in Genazzano, located about an hour east of Rome and run by the religious of the Order of St. Augustine.

On his way back to the Vatican, the new pontiff stopped at the Basilica of St. Mary Major where he prayed before the tomb of Pope Francis and the icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary there, “Salus Populi Romani.”

Pope Leo left a white rose, which is said to have been Pope Francis’ favorite flower.

Impactful addresses to youth

Throughout his first year as pope, the Holy Father has had powerful experiences with young people. Two in particular that stand out are his addresses to roughly 1 million young adults during the Jubilee of Youth and his live talk with young people gathered at the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC).

During the Jubilee of Youth, which took place July 28–Aug. 3 and was part of the yearlong Jubilee of Hope, young adults from around the world filled the streets of Rome. Each day was filled with different opportunities and events for the young people to experience the richness of the Catholic faith.

On Aug. 2, Pope Leo was greeted by the largest crowd he had addressed during his pontificate so far for the evening vigil at Tor Vergata, an outdoor venue 10 miles east of Rome. An estimated 1 million people were in attendance. The Holy Father arrived by helicopter and then drove through the grounds on the popemobile, waving to the cheering young people before the prayer service began.

The Jubilee of Youth concluded on Aug. 3 with a Mass celebrated by Pope Leo on the 237-acre grounds of Tor Vergata, where more than a million young pilgrims had spent the night following a prayer vigil and Eucharistic adoration.

In his homily, Pope Leo invited the pilgrims to open their hearts to God and venture with him “towards eternity.”

Pope Leo XIV approaches Tor Vergata in Rome by helicopter on Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025. | Credit: Vatican Media

NCYC took place in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium from Nov. 20–22. On Nov. 21, Pope Leo held a historic digital encounter with American teenagers.

During this live conversation, five teenagers asked the pope questions regarding using technology, recovering from mistakes, giving worries to Jesus, avoiding distractions, and preparing for the future of the Church. The pope gave guidance to the young crowd with words applicable to both teenagers and the universal Church.

Pope Leo XIV speaks to teenagers during a digital encounter at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis during the 2025 National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) on Nov. 21, 2025. | Credit: Tessa Gervasini/CNA Canonizations of Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis

On Sept. 7, 2025, Pope Leo canonized Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis in his first canonization ceremony before an estimated 70,000 people in St. Peter’s Square.

“Today we look to St. Pier Giorgio Frassati and St. Carlo Acutis: a young man from the early 20th century and a teenager from our own day, both in love with Jesus and ready to give everything for him,” he said during his homily.

He added: “Dear friends, Sts. Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis are an invitation to all of us, especially young people, not to squander our lives but to direct them upwards and make them masterpieces.”

TweetRelease of his first apostolic letter

Pope Leo XIV released his first apostolic letter, Dilexi Te, on Oct. 9, 2025. The document emphasizes the idea that the poor are not simply objects of charity but also evangelists who can prompt us to conversion through their example of weakness and reliance on God.

“The poor can act as silent teachers for us, making us conscious of our presumption and instilling within us a rightful spirit of humility,” Leo writes in Dilexi Te (“I Have Loved You”). “The elderly, for example, by their physical frailty, remind us of our own fragility, even as we attempt to conceal it behind our apparent prosperity and outward appearance. The poor ... remind us how uncertain and empty our seemingly safe and secure lives may be.”

The pontiff quotes his predecessor throughout the document, which was first drafted during Pope Francis' pontificate and draws heavily on the late popeʼs first apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, on the joy of the Gospel.

First major international trip: Turkey and Lebanon

Pope Leo made his first international papal trip to Turkey and Lebanon Nov. 27–Dec. 2, 2025. The wide-ranging international visit included historic ecumenical encounters, deeply symbolic gestures of prayer, and pastoral visits to Christian communities under pressure. Pope Leo highlighted the importance of unity, peace, and fraternity, and brought encouragement to a region marked by ancient faith and present suffering.

One highlight from his time in Turkey included the commemoration of the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea alongside Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople in the Turkish city of Iznik, the site of the Council of Nicaea, historically known as the birthplace of the Nicene Creed.

In Lebanon, Pope Leo became the first pope in history to visit the tomb of St. Charbel Makhlouf when he arrived at the Monastery of St. Maron in Annaya.

Pope Leo XIV reflects on the enduring message of St. Charbel Makhlouf at the hermit’s tomb at the Monastery of St. Maron, in Annaya, Lebanon, on Dec. 1, 2025. | Credit: Vatican Media An extraordinary consistory

In his opening address at an extraordinary consistory — which convened from Jan. 7–8 — Pope Leo assured the cardinals from around the world gathered at the Vatican that “I am here to listen.”

This extraordinary consistory — different from the ordinary ones, which are more limited and frequent — was scheduled to take place immediately after the Jubilee of Hope to “offer support and advice to the Holy Father in the exercise of his high and arduous responsibility of governing the Church,” according to a statement from the Holy See.

The consistory was a closed-door meeting to which no media were admitted, and cardinals were asked to keep the proceedings confidential. However, the cardinals were expected to offer the new pontiff their views on two specific topics: the Synod and synodality, and the mission of evangelization and the missionary character of the Church.

First Holy Week and Easter celebrations as pope

During Holy Week and Easter 2026, Pope Leo presided over the Church’s most solemn liturgies in Rome, beginning with Palm Sunday and continuing through the chrism Mass on Holy Thursday, the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, the Good Friday Passion celebration, the Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum, the Easter Vigil at St. Peter’s Basilica, and finally Easter Sunday Mass with the “urbi et orbi” blessing from St. Peter’s Square.

This was the first time in several years that a pope participated in all the liturgies of Holy Week and Easter. Due to Pope Francis’ declining health toward the end of his papacy, he had to scale back his participation in many of these events.

Pope Leo was also the first pope since John Paul II in 1994 to carry the wooden cross to all 14 stations during the Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum on Good Friday.

Pope Leo XIV carries the cross during the Via Crucis at the Colosseum in Rome, Friday, April 3, 2026. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News Historic 11-day trip to Africa

Pope Leo spent 11 days in Africa — from April 13–23 — and visited four countries: Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea. During this trip, he traveled more than 11,000 miles on 18 separate flights. 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.

Throughout his journey, he emphasized themes of peace, reconciliation, and economic justice, meeting with local leaders, clergy, and lay faithful. Large crowds gathered for outdoor Masses, reflecting the vibrancy and rapid growth of Catholicism in many African communities.

One of the highlights of the trip was Pope Leo’s visit to Annaba — ancient Hippo — in what for the Augustinian pontiff amounted to a return to the roots of his faith and vocation. 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.

The pope also 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 prison is one of the country’s harshest, known for its difficult conditions.

Pope Leo XIV displays a crucifix while speaking to prisoners at Bata Prison, Equatorial Guinea, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Strong messaging on war and peace

The Holy Father has made peace a defining theme of his pontificate from the very beginning, opening his first public remarks with the words “Peace be with you.” That simple greeting set the tone for a broader vision — one rooted in the Gospel but directed squarely at a world marked by conflict and division.

In homilies and international addresses, he has consistently framed peace not as the absence of war but as an active, daily commitment grounded in justice, reconciliation, and respect for human dignity.

The pope has urged world leaders to reject cycles of violence and instead foster what he has called a “culture of peace.” Speaking in the context of ongoing global tensions, he has warned against the normalization of war as a tool of policy, insisting that lasting solutions can only come through dialogue and mutual understanding.

The pope has also addressed the dangers of modern warfare, including the threat of nuclear escalation. He has called for renewed international efforts toward disarmament and de-escalation, emphasizing that the destructive power of nuclear weapons demands a moral as well as political response.

Reiterating the Church’s long-standing teaching, Pope Leo has encouraged nations to pursue diplomacy over aggression, presenting dialogue not as weakness but as the strongest and most enduring path to peace.

Pope Leo XIV on Thursday underscored the enduring value of printed books in the digital age, saying reading “nourishes the mind” and offers Christians a valuable opportunity to proclaim Christ.

The pope made the remarks May 7 during an audience at the Vatican with employees of the Vatican Publishing House, or Libreria Editrice Vaticana, which was founded in 1926 and is celebrating its centenary this year.

The Holy Father said the book “is an opportunity to think,” defending the physicality of printed books in an increasingly digital culture because, he said, they remind readers of the importance of “thought, reflection, and study.”

“Reading nourishes the mind; it helps to foster a conscious and well-formed critical sense, guarding us against fundamentalism and ideological shortcuts,” Pope Leo said.

“For this reason, I urge everyone to read books, as an antidote to closed-mindedness, which is reflected in rigid attitudes and reductive views of reality,” he added.

The pope also emphasized that books offer an opportunity for encounter.

“When we hold a book in our hands, we ideally encounter its author,” he said. “But at the same time, we meet those who have read it before us, or who are reading it now or will read it in the future.”

Pope Leo noted that Pope Francis had taught Catholics “to practice the culture of encounter,” adding that “a book is a bridge to others, a source of dialogue that enriches us, a stimulus to expand our own perspective.”

For Christians in particular, the pope said, books can be “an opportunity to proclaim Christ.”

“We know well how reading a saint’s biography or a well-written spiritual reflection can touch the heart,” he said.

He also pointed to the Virgin Mary, who is often depicted in the Annunciation “intent on reading the holy Scriptures,” and to St. Anthony of Padua, who is commonly shown holding “the open Book of the Gospels, upon which the Infant Jesus stands.”

“We often see St. Augustine seated at a desk before a large book and, at times, holding a heart in his hand: truth and charity,” the pope said.

“At the school of Mary and the saints, let us nourish ourselves with the word of God, so that it may shape our way of thinking and acting,” Pope Leo added.

The pope concluded by recalling the words of St. Paul VI, who in 1976 met with employees of the Vatican Publishing House for its 50th anniversary and urged them to “look ahead, to refine ideas and plans for the future.”

“I thank you for your work, which I hope you will carry out with dedication and passion,” Pope Leo said. “And I cordially bless each of you and your loved ones.”

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.

Recruits of the Pontifical Swiss Guard took their oath of allegiance to Pope Leo XIV, solemnly pledging to serve and protect him.

The ceremony took place May 6 in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican in the presence of the pontiff, members of the Holy See Diplomatic Corps, and the family and friends of the 28 recruits.

At the high point of the ceremony, in a gesture laden with tradition, each recruit held the banner of the Pontifical Swiss Guard with his left hand, raised three fingers with his right, and recited the oath swearing to protect the pope, even at the cost of his life.

Each recruit holds the banner of the Pontifical Swiss Guard with his left hand, raises three fingers with his right, and recites the oath swearing to protect the pope, even at the cost of his life, on May 6, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

This gesture, more than just an oath of allegiance, also commemorates the 147 Swiss Guards who died defending Pope Clement VII during the Sack of Rome on May 6, 1527.

In his address after the ceremony, Leo thanked the recruits, describing their future service as a “commitment of fidelity, inspired by youthful enthusiasm and grounded in faith in God and love for the Church.”

On Thursday, the pope held a private audience with the new Swiss Guards and their families. Leo took this occasion to remind them of the beauty of their calling and described them as servants of Christ, called not only to serve the Holy See but also those most in need.

Pope Leo XIV welcomes the Swiss Guard in a ceremony for recruits on May 6, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

“More than soldiers, you are servants who, in the image of Christ, go out to meet those who need your help: not only members of the Curia or officials visiting the Vatican but also pilgrims and tourists,” the pope said. “Always remember these words of Jesus: ‘Whatever you did for one of the least of these, my brothers, you did for me’ (Mt 25:40).”

Pope Leo XIV welcomes the Swiss Guard in a ceremony for recruits on May 6, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

On Thursday Pope Leo XIV met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Vatican, with the meeting coming amid tensions between the Holy See and U.S. President Donald Trump.

Trump has expressed his disapproval of Leoʼs public statements denouncing the U.S.-led war on Iran. The Holy Father has repeatedly called for peace amid the ongoing conflict.

According to a statement released by the U.S. Department of State, the pontiff and Rubio discussed “the situation in the Middle East and topics of mutual interest in the Western Hemisphere.”

Pope Leo XIV speaks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Vatican, Thursday, May 7, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

It also stated that their meeting “underscored the strong relationship between the United States and the Holy See and their shared commitment to promoting peace and human dignity.”

The Holy See published its own statement of the meeting, which, according to Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni, lasted for 45 minutes.

Instagram post

The statement described the meeting as an encounter where “cordial discussions” took place regarding the “fostering of strong bilateral relations between the Holy See and the United States of America.”

Pope Leo XIV speaks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Vatican, Thursday, May 7, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

This week Trump expressed his desire that Rubio tell the pope that "Iran cannot have nuclear weapons.” The president has repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that Leo wants the Middle Eastern country to develop nuclear armaments.

Leo has rejected those allegations. On May 5 at Castel Gandolfo he stated that the Church "has spoken for years against all nuclear weapons." On Wednesday, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin stated that the Holy See "has always worked, and will continue to work, on nuclear disarmament."

Parolin, who also met Rubio on May 7, also described Trumpʼs recent verbal attacks against the pope as "strange."

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, said on Wednesday it would be premature to discuss sanctions against the German bishops for blessings of same-sex couples.

Parolin, however, did not rule out an intervention by the Holy See but expressed hope that it would be avoided.

“It is premature now to speak of sanctions. Let us hope we never have to get to sanctions, and that problems can be resolved peacefully, as they should be in the Church,” Parolin told reporters on the sidelines at a book launch at the Patristic Institute in Rome on Wednesday.

Several members of the German Bishops' Conference, citing the Vatican declaration Fiducia Supplicans, have formalized blessings for same-sex couples in their dioceses in Germany. Recently, a 2024 letter was circulated from the Dicastery of the Doctrine of the Faith prohibiting this practice.

Pope Leo XIV has also weighed in on the issue, recently stating that the Holy See does not agree with the German bishops with the “formalized blessing of couples" beyond the allowances of Fiducia Supplicans.

Rubio to meet with Pope Leo

Parolin also weighed in on the May 7 meeting scheduled between Leo and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and U.S. President Donald Trumpʼs recent criticisms of the pope. Parolin said the United States remains an interlocutor with the Holy See and described the latest verbal attacks against Leo as “strange.”

“We will listen to [Rubio]. We will listen to him. The initiative came from [the Trump administration]. I imagine we will talk about everything that has happened in recent days; we cannot avoid touching on these issues,” Parolin said.

Leo recently spoke to journalists at Castel Gandolfo and rejected Trumpʼs claim that the Church supports nuclear weapons. Parolin echoed those sentiments on Thursday, stating that the “Holy See has always worked, and continues to work, precisely on nuclear disarmament.”

The Vatican’s General Secretariat of the Synod published Tuesday the testimonies of two men in civil marriages with other men who describe from personal experience the tensions and wounds that have marked their life of faith within the Church.

It is the first time a Vatican text has given voice to this group in such detail. One testimony is from a man in Portugal who said he suffered a deep wound when a spiritual director suggested he could have been married to a woman to “find peace” and “use my gifts,” minimizing the affective dimension of marriage.

The man said the suggestion was painful because “it was a suggestion to harm a woman by robbing her of the chance to be completely loved and desired, all to fulfill a social expectation.” From that point, he said, he began excluding his relationship and affective life from his prayer.

The Synod also published the testimony of a U.S. Catholic man in a civil marriage with another man, an immigrant, and active in parish life. “My sexuality isn’t a perversion, disorder, or cross; it’s a gift from God,” he wrote. “I have a happy, healthy marriage and am flourishing as an openly gay Catholic.”

Both testimonies are written in English and are published on the Synod website as annexes to the final report of Study Group 9, titled “Theological Criteria and Synodal Methodologies for Shared Discernment of Emerging Doctrinal, Pastoral, and Ethical Issues.”

The U.S. testimony recalls the author’s experience with Courage, a Catholic apostolate that supports people with same-sex attraction who seek to live chastely according to Church teaching. Pope Leo XIV received members of Courage at the Vatican on Feb. 6.

The man wrote that he went to the group at the suggestion of a conversion therapist he had met to deal with his “condition.” He added: “I tried in vain to date a Catholic woman, but our relationship failed when my family faced a crisis. The time had come to be honest with myself, God, and others.”

The 32-page report, published first in Italian and presented in English as a working translation, is not a definitive doctrinal proposal. Rather, it outlines a methodological shift and will now be presented to Pope Leo XIV for study.

Drawing from the testimonies, the Synod study group says the first account describes “the devastating effects of reparative therapies aimed at recovering heterosexuality” and “contradictory advice” such as suggestions to marry a woman in order to “find peace.”

The report proposes a new approach based on listening and dialogue for addressing “emerging doctrinal, pastoral, and ethical issues,” including the experience of “people of faith with same-sex attractions.”

The text is rooted in what it calls the “principle of pastorality,” which stresses that Christian proclamation must take account of concrete persons and their lived experience. It proposes a change in approach to some of the most delicate questions in the life of the Church.

The report does not seek to offer total solutions but to open a path of discernment. Instead of speaking of “controversial” issues, as the subject of the report was originally announced, it proposes calling them “emerging” issues, understood as experiences that prompt the Church to rethink how to live and transmit the Gospel in diverse contexts.

The document explicitly recognizes the difficulty of harmonizing doctrine and pastoral practice. It says testimonies received by the study group show “how arduous it is for individuals and Christian communities to reconcile ‘doctrinal firmness’ with ‘pastoral welcome.’” It adds that polarized positions often result in “profound suffering, personal lacerations, and experiences of marginalization or ‘double lives’” for believers with same-sex attraction.

In this context, the report proposes a method based on three steps within what it calls “conversation in the Spirit”: listening to ourselves, paying attention to reality, and summoning various forms of expertise.

The text says this dynamic of listening seeks to foster a synodal Church in which the people of God actively participate in discernment.

The report also stresses the importance of paying attention to those living on existential, social, and cultural “peripheries.” It cites other examples of “emerging issues,” including the rise of adult catechumens in some local Churches, which it says calls for rethinking pastoral structures.

In addition to the testimonies of two homosexual persons, Study Group 9 includes an experience of active nonviolence, as witnessed by a Serbian youth movement that helped bring about the peaceful fall of President Slobodan Milošević on Oct. 5, 2000, drawing inspiration in part from the first Christians.

The Synod also published the final report of another study group, Study Group 7, on criteria for selecting candidates for bishop.

That report says bishops should be evaluated not only for moral integrity, doctrinal orthodoxy, pastoral sensitivity, leadership ability, and capacity to administer Church goods but also for “synodal competencies.” It quotes Pope Leo XIV as saying that a bishop’s duty is “to build communion among its members and with the universal Church by fostering the variety of gifts and ministries given for its own growth and for the spread of the Gospel.”

The report also asks the dicasteries of the Roman Curia to review their procedures in a more synodal spirit and proposes regular independent evaluation of the processes for selecting bishops.

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 appointed Father Michael T. Castori, SJ, as the new bishop of Honolulu on May 6. He is a member of the Society of Jesus, or the Jesuits.

The pontiff accepted the resignation of Bishop Clarence R. Silva, 76, who has led the diocese since 2005.

According to a press release from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Castori was born on Oct. 21, 1960, in Sacramento, California. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 13, 1998.

Castori has earned several academic degrees, including a bachelor’s degree in classics from Harvard University in 1982, a master of divinity degree from the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley in 1998, and a doctorate in Near Eastern religions from the University of California, Berkeley, in 2008.

He also received a licentiate in sacred theology from Fordham University in 2009.

He has held several teaching roles, including as an assistant professor at Santa Clara University and the Ateneo de Manila in the Philippines.

His pastoral experience includes service as chaplain to the Tongan Catholic communities in northern California and to San Quentin State Prison.

Before being appointed to Honolulu, he served as the rector of the Arrupe Jesuit Residence in Seattle.