Vatican City (AP) – Pope Leo XIV expressed his commitment on Wednesday to fostering peace in both the Middle East and Ukraine, while also highlighting the importance of the spirituality and traditions inherent in the Eastern Ritual Church.
“The church needs you!” Leo appealed to attendees during the Holy Year of Pilgrims in Eastern Light.
Oriental Catholics recognize the Pope’s authority, yet they maintain a wealth of unique rituals and liturgies. This includes the Coptic, Chaldean, and Melkite Catholic Churches, as well as communities like the Syro-Malabar Church in India and Greek Catholics in Eastern Europe and America. Unlike Orthodox Christians, these Catholic factions fully acknowledge papal authority.
In his address, Leo noted the troubling reality that many Eastern ritual Catholics are compelled to flee their homelands, driven by “war and persecution, instability and poverty.” This particularly reflects the exodus of Christians from the Middle East, Iraq, and Syria, where communities have suffered under years of extremist violence. Ghostly remnants of ancient faith still echo through northern Iraq, where the Aramaic dialect—the language spoken by Jesus—lingers.
He pledged to advocate for peace in affected areas, specifically mentioning the Middle East and Ukraine. The Holy See, he said, stands ready to foster dialogue among adversaries.
“Who better than you to proclaim a song of hope, even amid deep violence?” he asked. “We’ve witnessed violence spanning from holy sites to Ukraine, from Lebanon to Syria, across the Middle East to Tigray and the Caucasus!”
In one of his first actions as pope, Leo reached out via phone to Ukrainian President Voldy Mie Zelensky, inviting him to Ukraine and expressing gratitude for his solidarity. He has previously criticized the Russian invasion of Ukraine, labeling it an imperialist attempt to seize territory, given Ukraine’s strategic importance.
During Pope Francis’s tenure, the Vatican largely observed peace efforts from a distance, although it facilitated prisoner exchanges and worked on reuniting Ukrainian children separated from their families in Russian territory.
Zelensky, who previously met President Donald Trump at St. Peter’s Cathedral during Pope Francis’s funeral, is scheduled to attend Leo’s official installation mass this Sunday in Rome.
Leo praised Christians dedicated to reconciliation, even in hostile environments where they face persecution. He urged them to remain steadfast.
“We are grateful for these Christians in the Middle East and Latin America, and we must resist the urge to abandon our homelands,” he said. “Christians deserve to remain in their communities, not just in word but by ensuring their rights and safety.”
The audience included diverse faithful gathering from across the globe, with flags from Lebanon and Ukraine prominently displayed alongside active pilgrims.
Recalling Pope Leo XIII, who served from 1878 to 1903 and focused on the Eastern Ritual Church, Leo highlighted the significance of honoring both Eastern and Western traditions.
He had even cautioned Western priests against forcibly assimilating Eastern ritual Catholics into the Latin tradition.
Former Cardinal Robert Prevast expressed concern about how these Eastern Catholics often encounter indifference from their Latin counterparts as they integrate into diaspora communities. He noted they “risk losing their religious identity as they move westward, not just from their homelands.”
“Consequently, the valuable heritage of the Eastern Church has been diminished for generations,” the Pope remarked.
He articulated that the contributions from the Eastern Church to the West could be “immeasurable.”
“We urgently need to revive your liturgy, embracing the profound sense of mystery that enriches it and unites humanity in the process.
