Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, 
may the Lord give you peace. 

We are here at Gethesmane, the place where Jesus, having reached the culmination of his journey to Jerusalem, paused and wept. His gaze did not rest on the majestic walls or the splendor of the Temple; it penetrated the heart of the city he loved, and there he saw its struggle in recognizing the time of grace. 

In this afternoon of Palm Sunday we gather without a procession, without palms waving through the streets. This absence is not merely a matter of formalities. It is the war that has interrupted our festive journey, making even the simple joy of following our King difficult. Our brothers and sisters of the Holy Land cannot fill the streets this Sunday nor join their voices to the festive procession. Their absence is not empty before the Lord. He does not seek triumphal roads, but enters where the door is left ajar, where daily fidelity is the daily bread. We are certain that the Crucified and Risen One does not cease to walk among us: even when the road is blocked, He dwells in the heart of those who have not stopped following Him. Yet precisely in this imposed silence, the liturgy becomes more authentic. The cry of “Hosanna” does not need branches to rise to heaven, and faith does not falter when outward rites are stripped away…

Regarding the Prevention of the Palm Sunday Prayer at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem

Holy City of Jerusalem
Palm Sunday, 29 March 2026

This morning, the [Israeli Police] prevented the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Head of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land, together with the Custos of the Holy Land, the Most Reverend Fr. Francesco Ielpo, OFM, the official Guardian of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, as they made their way to celebrate the Palm Sunday Mass.

The two were stopped en route, while proceeding privately and without any characteristics of a procession or ceremonial act, and were compelled to turn back. As a result, and for the first time in centuries, the Heads of the Church were prevented from celebrating the Palm Sunday Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre…

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV sends a message to Archbishop Sarah Mullally on the occasion of her installation, recalling the progress and challenges in Catholic–Anglican relations. The Archbishop's installation ceremony in Canterbury Cathedral took place on 25 March.

Vatican News

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV has sent a message to Sarah Mullally on the occasion of her installation as Archbishop of Canterbury, assuring her of his prayers and invoking “grace, mercy, and peace… in truth and love”.

The installation service, historically known as an enthronement, took place in Canterbury Cathedral on 25 March. In the presence of some 2,000 guests, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, it marks the symbolic start of Dame Sarah's public ministry as the Archbishop of Canterbury.

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV releases his message for the upcoming World Day of Prayer for Vocations, observed this year on Sunday, April 26, and reiterates that "every vocation is an immeasurable gift for the Church and for those who receive it with joy."

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV has released his message for the 63rd World Day of Prayer for Vocations, which falls this year on April 26, the fourth Sunday of Easter, also called "Good Shepherd Sunday."

The Pope called the day "an occasion of grace in which we share some reflections on the interior dimension of vocation, understood as the discovery of God’s free gift that blossoms in the depths of our hearts." He also called it an opportunity to "explore together the truly beautiful path of life along which the Shepherd guides us."

On March 22, 1931, His Holiness Catholicos Sahag II Khabayan established Antelias Pilgrimage Day to coincide with the commemoration of the descent of St. Gregory the Illuminator, Patron Saint of the Armenian Church, into the pit of Khor Virab. Since then, it has become a cherished tradition for pilgrims to visit the Catholicosate in Lebanon for this annual Pilgrimage.

This year, under the auspices of 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), and despite the challenging situation in Lebanon, a large number of faithful participated in special ceremonies marking the commemoration. On Friday at 5 p.m., a Vespers ceremony was held, following the eve of the commemoration of the descent of the Patron Saint into the pit of Khor Virab. On Saturday morning, a Divine Liturgy was celebrated. On Saturday at 7 p.m., a special Vespers Ceremony will take place for Pilgrimage Day, followed by a Pontifical message…

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV thanks the Italian national airline ITA Airways for carrying the Pope on his Apostolic Journeys, and laments the use of aircraft as carriers of death and destruction in theaters of war.

Just twenty days ahead of his Apostolic Journey to four African nations, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV met with a delegation of executives and staff from ITA Airways, Italy’s national airline, and the Lufthansa Group.

The Pope thanked ITA Airways and its predecessor, Alitalia, for its service to the Popes, beginning with Pope St. Paul VI.

He praised its “qualified and experienced professionals” for creating a “serene atmosphere” for the Pope, his entourage, and the journalists who fly with him to cover his Apostolic Journeys.

The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem cancels this year’s Palm Sunday Procession from the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem, due to the ongoing war in the Middle East.

His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, has announced that the traditional Palm Sunday Procession, which goes from the Mount of Olives up to Jerusalem, has been cancelled and will be replaced by a moment of Prayer for the city at a location yet to be determined.

In a statement, the Cardinal explained that the Chrism Mass of Holy Thursday, usually held in the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre, has been postponed to a later date, as soon as the situation allows and possibly within the Easter season.

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV advances several individuals toward Sainthood, including an Italian who was a father of a family and another who offered his life for the faith, as well as a Spanish religious who served the Church throughout the 20th century.

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV received Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, in the Vatican on Monday morning and authorized the Dicastery to promulgate several decrees advancing six individuals toward Sainthood.

The Pope recognized the offering of life of Servant of God Ludovico Altieri, Bishop of Albano, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, born on 17 July 1805 in Rome, Italy, who died on 11 August 1867 in the Italian hill town of Albano Laziale.

In a message read during the funeral ceremony of the Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV describes him as the 'voice of reconciliation' and 'tireless builder of unity.' He also recalls his passion for music, 'an inspiration for the search for beauty' that unites the Churches.

Vatican News

On March 17, the longest serving patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, died after being hospitalized earlier that day.

During the funeral of the Late patriarch, Cardinal Kurt Koch, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, read a message by His Holiness Pope Leo XIV addressed to His Eminence Shio Metropolitan of Senaki and Chkhorotsku Locum Tenens of the of the Patriarchal See Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Georgia. 

In the midst of the violence in the Middle East, the Custody of the Holy Land invites people around the world to spiritually join in the Prayers "so that war and violence may cease, and that the paths of dialogue, diplomacy, and politics...may be walked with courage and responsibility."

Despite access to the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem being restricted for security reasons, "Prayer continues uninterruptedly in the Holy Places."

This is what the Custody of the Holy Land reported in a statement, highlighting that celebrations, rituals, daily processions, and Liturgical Prayers have never ceased "day or night."

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV meets the Focolare Movement and encourages them to promote unity and peace within their organization and throughout the world, especially at this moment in history, while also always respecting each person’s freedom and conscience.

In these times affected by conflicts and divisions, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV encouraged the Focolare movement to be witnesses of unity within their structures and throughout the world, while respecting the freedom and conscience of each person.

“We are in great need of this spirit of unity today, because the poison of division and conflict tends to corrupt hearts and social relationships and must be countered by the Gospel witness of unity, dialogue, forgiveness, and peace,” he said in his address at the Vatican on Saturday, March 21, 2026.

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV writes a letter to Popotus, an Italian weekly supplement dedicated to children that is celebrating its 30th anniversary, and invites everyone to keep a “childlike outlook on reality” in order to “remain human."

“In these days of great concern over wars that threaten the future of humanity,” we must look to children, because their “lost” eyes can lead to true conversion, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV wrote in a letter to the readers of Popotus, the weekly supplement dedicated to children as part of the newspaper of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, Avvenire.  

Antelias Pilgrimage Day was solemnly commemorated with a Vespers ceremony on Saturday, 21 March 2026, at 7:00 p.m. at St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Antelias, Lebanon, drawing a large number of pilgrims and faithful who gathered in Prayer and reflection to mark this significant annual observance. The occasion falls on the Feast commemorating the descent of St. Gregory the Illuminator, the Patron Saint of the Armenian Church, into the pit of Khor Virab.

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), presided over the Ceremony, delivering an inspiring message to the congregation at its conclusion. He began by expressing gratitude to God for the opportunity to celebrate this Feast and pilgrimage, especially in light of the current challenges facing Lebanon. Reflecting on the enduring role of Saints, His Holiness described them as guiding stars who illuminate our lives even in the darkest times.

At the Sunday Angelus, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV reflects on the Gospel account of the resurrection of Lazarus, and how it invites us to the fullness of life and to be renewed by God's grace to walk in the light of love, reflecting His boundless charity.

Greeting the visitors and pilgrims in Saint Peter's Square for the midday Angelus on the Fifth Sunday of Lent, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV spoke about Lord's raising of Lazarus, "a sign that speaks of Christ’s victory over death and of the gift of eternal life, which we receive through Baptism."

In his Reflections, the Pope said Jesus tells us today, just as he did to Lazarus' sister Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life.  Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die”.

After Praying the Angelus, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV calls for an end to violence around the world, urging everyone to persevere in Prayer because “we cannot remain silent in the face of the suffering of so many people, innocent victims of these conflicts.”

Despite the rainy weather in Rome, thousands of pilgrims still gathered in St. Peter’s Square to recite the Angelus with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV.

Following the Prayer, the Pope expressed his deep concern for the ongoing situation in the Middle East, as well as other areas of the world “torn apart by war and violence.” He stressed that “we cannot remain silent in the face of the suffering of so many people, innocent victims of these conflicts.”

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV meets with Italian journalists from the news broadcast TG2 and warns against the media becoming a “megaphone” for power, especially in times of conflict.

In times of war, the media must recount conflicts from the human perspective of those who are suffering and avoid becoming a “megaphone” for power, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV said on Monday.

“Always, but especially in the dramatic circumstances of war such as those we are experiencing, information must guard against the risk of turning into propaganda,” he said in an address to journalists of the news broadcast TG2, by the Italian state-owned TV Channel Rai 2.

On March 13, 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), continued his regular consultations with Armenian Church and Community Leaders across the Middle East, reaffirming his close Pastoral attention to the well-being of Armenian Communities in the region.

Throughout the day, His Holiness held telephone conversations with His Eminence Archbishop Mesrob Sarkissian, Prelate of the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Neighboring Areas, and with Krikor Mahseredjian, Co-Chair of the Lay Council of the Central Council of the Catholicosate. Reports indicate that a general atmosphere of uncertainty and insecurity continues to affect these countries…

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.