Pope Leo XIV comforts 13 priests from southern Lebanon with a surprise video call from Rome
The pontiff told 13 priests he was praying for them and urged peace as violence and demolitions continue despite a ceasefire, Vatican officials said.
- On Wednesday, Pope Leo XIV surprised 13 parish priests from southern Lebanon with a video call from Rome, offering prayers and his apostolic blessing to support clergy serving communities near the Israel-Lebanon border.
- Persistent insecurity grips southern Lebanon following the outbreak of war between Israel and Hezbollah on March 2, with Christian villages facing bombardment and displacement despite an April 17 ceasefire that has not held.
- Archbishop Paolo Borgia facilitated the connection from the Apostolic Palace, linking Pope Leo with priests from Rmeich and Debel who described the exchange as deeply reassuring. Father Toni Elias called it "a breath of hope and trust that was much needed."
- The gesture reinforces Vatican focus on Lebanon's Christian population, comprising roughly a third of the nation's 5 million people, offering morale support to clergy ministering under threat of bombardment.
- Despite the April 17 ceasefire, sporadic attacks continue disrupting southern Lebanon, while Pope Leo's December 2025 visit and current outreach underscore sustained Vatican advocacy for civilian protection amid the ongoing crisis.
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A banker hung up when Pope Leo wanted to change his data.
Chicago Sun Times
Usa newsPope Leo called his bank to change his address and phone number; they hung up on him
Two months into his pontificate, Pope Leo XIV called his bank in South Chicago to change his phone number and address.The former Robert Prevost answered all his security questions posed by the teller, but there was still a problem.To change his phone number and address, he was told he'd have to show up in person.“‘Well, I’m not going to be able to do that,’” said Pope Leo, according to his longtime friend, the Rev. Tom McCarthy, who told the sto…
Pope Leo XIV comforts 13 priests from Lebanon with surprise video call
BEIRUT: Pope Leo XIV surprised 13 priests from southern Lebanon, near the border with Israel, by joining a video call from Rome on Wednesday, telling them they were in his prayers and that he hoped peace would soon prevail along the tense frontier. The Lebanese Catholic and Maronite priests were asked to attend an online morning meeting with the Vatican’s ambassador to
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