Vatican City: During a heartfelt address to members of the Reunion of Aid Agencies for the Oriental Churches (ROACO), Pope Leo XIV urged Eastern-rite Catholics to remain firm in their witness to Christ’s peace, even as their communities continue to suffer the ravages of war, displacement, and sectarian violence.
Meeting with participants of ROACO’s annual gathering in the Vatican, the Pope began by praising the charitable mission of the organization. He described their support both material and spiritual for Eastern Churches as a “proclamation of joy” amidst a backdrop of devastation. These acts of solidarity, he said, plant seeds of hope in lands that have long been scorched by conflict.
“For countless people, poor in resources but rich in faith, your presence is like a lamp that glows in the thick fog of hatred,” the Pope told the representatives of Catholic aid agencies, many of whom operate in some of the most troubled regions of the Christian East.
Pope Leo acknowledged a painful truth in the history of intra-Church relations: that Eastern-rite Catholics have often been misunderstood or marginalized, even within the universal Church. He called on the global Catholic community especially Latin-rite Catholics to better appreciate the spiritual treasures of the Eastern Churches.
He suggested that seminaries and Catholic institutions around the world incorporate courses on Eastern liturgies, traditions, and theology. “Today, Eastern Catholics are no longer distant cousins with unfamiliar customs,” the Pope said. “They are our neighbors, colleagues, and parishioners often living beside us due to forced displacement.”
He emphasized the need for greater collaboration between rites, both pastorally and theologically, so that the global Church can draw strength from the rich sacred traditions and spiritual resilience of Eastern Christians particularly those formed in the crucible of suffering.
Turning to the ongoing wars and crises in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, Pope Leo spoke with deep anguish about the scale of suffering. He recalled the “diabolical intensity” of violence sweeping across regions like Ukraine, Gaza, and Syria, making special mention of the recent suicide bombing at the Mar Elias Orthodox Church in Damascus.
“Our hearts are pierced when we witness such inhuman brutality,” he said. “These tragedies remind us that war is never a path to stability it is a betrayal of humanity’s future.”
The Pope sharply criticized the logic of war economies, lamenting how resources that could build hospitals, schools, and homes are instead fueling “the pockets of death merchants.”
He condemned the mindset that justifies war through the principle of might and self-interest, warning that this path leads only to ruin.
Despite these dark realities, Pope Leo held up the Eastern Churches as beacons of sacred endurance and unwavering faith. He praised their liturgical beauty, their reverence for divine mystery, and above all, their perseverance under persecution. Their spiritual depth, he said, speaks volumes in a world that is increasingly forgetful of the sacred.
In his closing words, the Pope called on the faithful to resist the temptation of power and vengeance. “Let us walk the path of Christ, who freed hearts from hatred and taught us to overcome evil with good,” he said. “The witness of the Eastern Churches is not one of domination, but of fidelity even unto suffering.”
He concluded by urging the international community to work together for lasting peace, grounded not in geopolitics or revenge, but in the dignity of the human person and the call to fraternity.
Through this powerful address, Pope Leo XIV not only reaffirmed the Church’s commitment to the embattled Christian East but also reminded the entire world that peace cannot be imposed by force it must be chosen, lived, and shared. The Eastern Churches, he said, are uniquely positioned to lead that witness, even in the heart of conflict.