Pope Leo XIV has denounced this Palm Sunday the situation in the Middle East, marked by a conflict which he has called “atrocious,” and has lamented that many Christians in the region cannot normally celebrate the rites of Holy Week.
The Pope puts the focus on Christians in the Middle East
After the Angelus prayer, at the end of the mass, the pontiff has shown his closeness to the Christian communities affected by the war, stressing that in many cases they cannot fully live these key dates of the religious calendar.
The Pope has pointed out that the suffering of these populations must challenge the international community, especially at a symbolic moment for millions of believers worldwide.
Complaints from Jerusalem
In parallel, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem has denounced that the Israeli police prevented the celebration of the Palm Sunday mass in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
According to the statement, several faithful were intercepted when they were heading to the temple and forced to return, in an incident that, they warn, marks a worrying precedent and affects global religious sensitivity in an especially significant week.
Appeal for peace amidst full escalation
During his message, Leo XIV has urged the international community not to forget those who directly suffer the consequences of the war and has asked to move towards solutions that allow to curb violence.
The pontiff has appealed to the “Prince of Peace” so that he may promote real paths of reconciliation, in a context of growing instability in the region.
I remember victims of the conflict and migrants
The Pope has also had words for the victims of the war in different areas, including sailors affected by the conflict, as well as the injured and families of the deceased.
Also, he has recalled the migrants who have lost their lives in the sea in recent days, especially off the island of Crete, stressing that the sea and the land must be spaces of life and not of tragedy.