Throughout the day on March 12, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), maintained contact with Church and Community Leaders across the Middle East to receive updates on the situation affecting Armenian Communities in the region.

On March 11, 2026, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, Supreme Head of the Syriac Orthodox Church of the World, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), received his brother in Christ His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), at the Patriarchal Residence in Atchaneh, Lebanon.

His Holiness Catholicos Aram was accompanied by His Eminence Archbishop Nareg Almazian, Director of the Department of Ecumenical Relations, and Rev. Father Sarkis Aprahamian.

During his weekly General Audience, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV continues his reflection on the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 'Lumen gentium', and emphasizes the mission of the Church, as it is made up of the people of God united in Christ.

In a world marked by divisions and tensions, the Church unites her members through their faith in Christ and His love and therefore has the mission to reach out to everyone, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV said during the Wednesday General Audience in St. Peter’s Square on March 11.

“Unified in Christ, Lord and Saviour of every man and woman, the Church can never turn inwards on herself, but is open to everyone and is for everyone,” the Pope highlighted.

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV mourns the Late Lebanese Priest, Fr. Pierre El-Rahi, who was killed amid the conflict in the Middle East, expressing his closeness to the Lebanese people and inviting Christians to pray for the many innocent victims of war.

"Let us continue to pray for peace in Iran and throughout the Middle East, especially for the many civilian victims, including many innocent children. May our prayer be a comfort for those who suffer and a seed of hope for the future."

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV made this appeal at his weekly General Audience in the Vatican on Wednesday, recalling that the Funeral of Father Pierre El-Rahi is celebrated on Wednesday in Qlayaa, Lebanon. 

The Pope recalled that Father El-Rahi was the Maronite parish priest of one of the Christian villages in southern Lebanon, which, in these days, "are once again experiencing the tragedy of war."

As Southern Lebanon faces renewed conflict and upheaval, the country's Foreign Minister requests assistance from the Holy See to “preserve the Christian presence” near the border with [Israel].

Lebanon has appealed to the Holy See for help in order to preserve the presence of Christians in the south of the country.

Since the outbreak of renewed conflict in the Middle East, Christians near the border with [Israel] have endured relentless bombardments and evacuation orders, triggering a massive humanitarian crisis.

Youssef Raggi, Lebanon’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, spoke with His Eminence Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Vatican Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, which was confirmed by the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni.

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV continues his Pastoral visits to parishes in the peripheries of Rome, travelling to the Santa Maria della Presentazione parish in the Torrevecchia neighbourhood. The visit marks his fourth to a Roman parish since mid-February.

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV undertook a pastoral visit to the Parish of Santa Maria della Presentazione in the western neighbourhood of Torrevecchia on Sunday afternoon, his penultimate such engagement to a Roman Parish marking the season of Lent.

He was welcomed in the square outside the church by parishioners, families and groups of children preparing for First Communion, together with scouts and youth groups. The Parish Priest, Father Paolo Stacchiotti, greeted the Pope along with Cardinal Baldo Reina, vicar for the Diocese of Rome, and Cardinal Francesco Montenegro, Archbishop emeritus of Agrigento.

We are following the war in the Middle East with grave concern. Some experts consider the current war the beginning of a third world war, while others view it as part of a long series of military confrontations. Whatever interpretation may be given, the military actions unleashed against Iran by the United States and [Israel] are in fact becoming increasingly complex, intensifying, and expanding, drawing in the entire Middle East and even showing signs of spreading beyond the region. Uncertainty is deepening, chaos is spreading, the number of human casualties and wounded is rising, physical destruction is widening, and the wave of refugees is growing.

All countries in the Middle East, to varying degrees, face the devastating effects of the war across security, safety, economy, society, politics, and other areas. However, Iran and Lebanon continue to experience the direct and severe impacts of the conflict…

Cilicia Analytical Platform Holds Emergency Meeting on Middle East War

The Cilicia Analytical Platform convened an extraordinary online meeting on the evening of March 5, 2026, presided over by His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC). The sole agenda of the meeting was the war in the Middle East and its consequences.

His Holiness Catholicos Aram I briefed participants on his recent telephone consultations with the spiritual and community leaders of the Armenian dioceses in Iran, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, and Syria. He particularly addressed the situation in the three Armenian diocesan regions in Iran and the increasingly unpredictable situation in Lebanon.

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV responds to a reader of the monthly magazine Piazza San Pietro who denounces femicides and calls for an alliance between schools and Church to promote “a culture of respect” among young people.

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV responded to a reader's question in this month’s edition of the magazine Piazza San Pietro, made public on March 8, International Women’s Day. The Pope responded, as he customarily does, to a reader who asked him for some help or reflections and guidance on very current issues. In the March issue, the letter is signed by Giovanna in Rome. She writes “with tearful eyes” becoming the spokesperson for the tragedy of many women for whom “loving a man, marrying him, or choosing to live with him and create a family” becomes “a trap.”

During the Sunday Angelus, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV calls for a renewed commitment to recognizing the equal dignity of men and women.

Addressing some fifteen thousand pilgrims and visitors in Saint Peter's Square gathered for the Sunday Angelus, as well as many thousands of others watching from home, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV noted that today, March 8, marks International Women’s Day.

The Pope encouraged his listeners to "renew our commitment...to recognizing the equal dignity of men and women", an imperative that for Christians is grounded in the Gospel. He decried the fact that many women from childhood onwards are still discriminated against and subjected to various forms of violence, and he said that "to them, in a special way, go my solidarity and my Prayers." 

The General Secretariat of the Synod publishes the first two Final Reports of the Study Groups established by His Holiness Pope Francis following the First Session of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops: that of Study Group No. 3 on 'The mission in the digital environment' and that of Study Group No. 4 on 'The revision of the Ratio Fundamentalis Institutionis Sacerdotalis in a missionary Synodal perspective.'

The General Secretariat of the Synod has today released the first two Final Reports of the Study Groups established by His Holiness Pope Francis following the First Session of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops.

The reports published were that of Study Group No. 3 on 'The Mission in the Digital Environment' and Study Group No. 4 on 'The Revision of the Ratio Fundamentalis Institutionis Sacerdotalis in a Missionary Synodal Perspective.'

An Article by Father Dr. Rif’at Bader

When it was announced in the Vatican and in Algeria of  His Holiness Pope Leo XIV’s intention to undertake an official visit to Algeria in April, I felt a particular joy, not only because it concerns a papal visit to a brotherly Arab country, but because I came to know Algeria closely during two personal stops that left a deep impression on me.

My first visit was in 2008 to bid farewell to Bishop Ghaleb Bader, when Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as archbishop of Algiers, thus making him the first Arab to sit on that episcopal seat. The second visit was a transit visit to the Diocese of Algiers, during which I had the opportunity, in the company of a bishop friend, to closely observe the religious and human reality of this vast country, a country that has nearly 48 million people, with an overwhelming Muslim majority and a modest Christian presence numerically, yet one that is active through educational, healthcare, and social institutions serving people without distinction of religion or ethnicity.

From this premise, the papal visit appears to be an event that transcends an internal ecclesial dimension to become a national and humanitarian message of encouragement. As has been the case during previous visits to Lebanon and Turkey, the media are expected to shed light on Algeria’s true face, namely as a country of ancient civilization, a deep-rooted history, as well as being marked by cultural and religious diversity, and a constant striving for stability and common living…

On March 3 and 4, 2026, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), held consultations with representatives of the Armenian community in Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, and Cyprus regarding the current regional situation.

He was informed that there had been no casualties among Armenian communities and only minor material damage. Community and Diocesan Leaders are closely monitoring developments, while schools remain temporarily closed with classes conducted online.

His Holiness Catholicos Aram I also convened a special online meeting of the Lay Assembly of the Central Executive Council of the Catholicosate to assess the situation across the Middle East, especially the recent attacks in Lebanon, and to discuss support measures for Armenian Communities.

Emphasizing that the security of Middle Eastern Communities remains a priority, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I continues to follow developments closely and will provide updates as necessary.

The International Theological Commission (ITC) publishes “Quo vadis, humanitas (“Humanity, where are you going?”): The epochal challenge of Christian anthropology in the era of artificial intelligence and posthumanism.”

“Quo vadis, humanitas?” is the title of a new document published Wednesday by the International Theological Commission, following the approval of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, which was granted on 9 February.

The title captures the underlying rationale and ultimate purpose of the document: faced with unprecedented technological advancement, theology seeks to offer “a theological and pastoral proposal” which, in the light of the Gospel, considers human life as an “integral vocation” and involves “co-responsibility with regard both toward others and towards God.”

During his weekly General Audience, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV continues reflecting on 'Lumen gentium,' suggesting there is no opposition between the human and divine dimensions of the Church, and reminding that the Church is not some ideal apart but that of Christ throughout history.

"An ideal and pure Church, separated from the earth, does not exist; only the one Church of Christ, embodied in history."

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV expressed this during his weekly General Audience in the Vatican on Wednesday morning.

“They shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks.” (Isaiah 2:4)

In the face of escalating violence in the Middle East, the World Communion of Reformed Churches raises its voice with urgency and moral clarity: the war must end immediately. We call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. The bombing must stop. The destruction must stop. The cycle of retaliation must stop.

No political objective, no claim of security, no invocation of history can justify the relentless loss of life, the devastation of communities, or the collective trauma now engulfing the region. Every bomb that falls buries not only bodies, but also the fragile hope of peace…

Bishops across Asia are calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East, expressing their concern that escalating violence could trigger “incalculable human and economic consequences” worldwide.

The Central Committee of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) issued a statement from Bangkok, Thailand, on March 3, calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East.

The Asian Bishops expressed “deep anguish and grave concern over the renewed escalation of violence in the Middle East,” citing recent cycles of bombardment and retaliation involving major global and regional powers.

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV gave a brief statement to journalists in Castel Gandolfo, outside the residence of Villa Barberini, once again repeating his appeal to “work for peace” and to “promote dialogue.”

“Pray for peace, work for peace, less hatred. Hatred in the world is constantly increasing.” This is the appeal that His Holiness Pope Leo XIV shared with a group of journalists outside Villa Barberini, the residence in Castel Gandolfo, where he spent his customary day of rest and work between yesterday and today.

The Secretariat for the Economy and the Holy See’s Labour Office organize an event on the potential and challenges of artificial intelligence, with the 'appreciation and encouragement' of the Pope.

“An abundance of means and a confusion of ends.” This phrase, attributed to Albert Einstein, offers a snapshot of a world challenged and shaped by new technologies. The interests at stake are multiple and not “neutral.” In this context, the Holy See — which has no military or commercial objectives — can play a key role in promoting global governance capable of developing systems that are “ethical from their design stage.”

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV addresses Italian Theologians from the Theological Faculty of Puglia and the Theological Institute of Calabria and insists that Theology must work to proclaim the Gospel, deepen the mystery of the faith, and resist the temptation to turn backward.

“Theology serves the proclamation of the Gospel; therefore it is an integral and fundamental part of the Church’s mission.”

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV expressed this when meeting representatives of the Theological Faculty of Puglia and the Theological Institute of Calabria on Monday morning in the Vatican.

Offering reflections concerning the path of formation offered by the respective institutions, the Pope encouraged them to move forward and backward, and to do Theology together.