Pope Leo XIV says “At the heart of societies marked by conflict and division, may your communities show that it is possible to live, serve, and hope together” to Bishops of the Holy Land and Arab Regions

Pope Leo XIV met on Thursday with members of the Conference of Latin Bishops of the Arab Regions (CELRA), who are holding their annual meeting in Rome.
ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS POPE LEO XIV
TO THE MEMBERS OF THE LATIN EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE IN THE ARAB REGIONS (CELRA) - Thursday, September 3, 2026
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Most Eminent Beatitude, Venerable Brothers in the Episcopate, Dear assembled,

With great joy I welcome you, Pastors who together form the Conference of Latin Bishops in the Arab Regions. Through you, I wish to address my greeting to the priests, consecrated persons and all the faithful of your communities. With the words of the Apostle Paul, I wish everyone: "Grace to you and peace from God" ( Rom 1:7).

Your Conference embraces Churches present in a vast and complex reality, which operate in contexts often marked by political, social, and religious tensions.

Your Churches have witnessed the witness of martyrdom: we think of Sister Leonella Sgorbati, a Consolata Missionary, the Missionaries of Charity killed in Yemen while serving the most vulnerable, and the many priests, men and women religious, and faithful who gave their lives in Iraq, Syria, and other lands scarred by violence. Their names may not be known to the world, but they are well known to God. Their fidelity to the Gospel remains a light for your communities and an invitation not to give in to fear or resignation.

When communities become more fragile and many families are forced to emigrate, your ministry becomes even more necessary. Always be pastors close to your people, capable of sharing their wounds, listening, supporting, and consoling, so that through your presence God's closeness may be made visible.

Don't be afraid of your smallness. The fruitfulness of the Church is not measured by numbers, structures, or resources, but by fidelity to the Gospel. A small community, if rooted in Christ, can be a precious presence: not because it seeks power, but because it serves; not because it imposes itself, but because it bears witness; not because it responds to violence with more violence, but because it opposes force with charity.

In the heart of societies marked by conflict and division, may your communities demonstrate that it is possible to live, serve, and hope together. Through parishes, schools, hospitals, and charitable works, make the Gospel concrete, welcoming, listening, and supporting those in need. Support, in particular, the religious congregations that continue to generously stand alongside the poor and most vulnerable.

In the midst of emergencies, do not lose sight of the essence of the Church's mission: the proclamation of the Gospel, prayer, the Sacraments, and Christian formation. A Church capable of serving must first and foremost be a Church that prays, listens to the Word, and lives by the Sacraments.

Take special care of families and young people. Families, though burdened by difficulties and uncertainties, may, with the support of the community, remain the primary place where faith is received and transmitted. Young people, often torn between great aspirations and an uncertain future, find in the Church a home that welcomes them, listens to them, and helps them recognize the value of their lives. May catechesis accompany children, young people, and adults toward a living encounter with Christ, so that faith may be known, lived, and passed on from generation to generation.

Also care for the many migrants, especially in the Gulf countries. Many live far from their loved ones and experience loneliness and uncertainty. May your communities be homes where no one feels like a stranger. Defend the dignity of every person and recognize every migrant as a brother or sister: thus charity becomes a witness to the Gospel and a school of fraternity.

Preserve and strengthen communion between the Churches and the different rites. The variety of Christian traditions is a richness to be lived in unity. From this communion, may sincere dialogue arise with other Christian communities, with Muslims, and with different religious traditions. Dialogue does not mean renouncing one's own identity, but rather living it without fear of encounter. Where war has sown mistrust, every gesture of esteem, collaboration, and respect can become a step toward reconciliation and peace.

Your mission is not simply to maintain a Christian presence, but to make Christ present: to proclaim him in the Word, celebrate him in the Sacraments, encounter him in prayer, and recognize him in the poor, the suffering, migrants, and in every person placed under your care.

You are not called to solve all the problems of your lands, but to be faithful to the Gospel and to the people entrusted to you. Do not seek success or recognition first: seek fidelity. Be voices of truth, justice, and peace; men of prayer, pastors close to your people, artisans of reconciliation, and witnesses of mercy.

Don't be afraid to sow without immediately seeing the fruits. The sowing belongs to you; the growth belongs to God. No gesture done in the name of Christ is useless: a prayer, a word of consolation, a family supported, a child educated in the faith, a poor person welcomed—these are the seeds of a new future.

Dear Brothers, continue your journey with confidence. You are not alone. The universal Church looks upon your communities with affection and recognizes in their perseverance, in their faith lived through trials, and in their courage in service, a precious testimony for the entire Church.

I entrust you, your Churches, and all the peoples of your lands to the protection of the Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church and Queen of Peace. May she accompany families, young people, migrants, the sick, and the poor; may she support those who suffer and enlighten those with political and social responsibilities, so that they may seek the common good and open paths of reconciliation.

Upon you and all the faithful entrusted to your care, I cordially invoke an abundance of the Lord's blessings. May he protect you in faith, make you persevering in hope and generous in charity, and grant your communities and all the peoples of your lands the precious gift of peace.