Vatican City: Around 14,000 faithful from across the globe gathered for Pope Leo XIV’s General Audience on Wednesday, filling the Paul VI Hall, the Petriano Courtyard, and St. Peter’s Basilica. Among them was a notable group of 35 Hebrew-speaking Catholics from Israel’s Saint James Community.
Led by Fr. Piotr Zelazko, Latin Patriarchal Vicar for Hebrew-speaking Catholics, the delegation was on a Jubilee pilgrimage representing seven communities of the Vicariate. “We are going home to be visible signs of hope,” Fr. Zelazko said, emphasizing their mission to bridge the Jewish and Catholic worlds, pray for hostages’ release, and seek peace in Gaza and the Holy Land. “A mother’s tears have no flag, and we as Christians must offer light to everyone,” he added.
Italian-born Fr. Benedetto Di Bitonto, parish priest of Sts. Simeon and Anna, noted that the pilgrimage allowed the faithful to express their beliefs freely, away from the devastation of recent years, and to unite with Catholics worldwide.
Also present were 150 young participants in the “Giorgio La Pira” Youth Work international camp, representing countries including Italy, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Ukraine, Russia, Israel, and Palestine. They shared a message of peace and dialogue in the Mediterranean.
The Pope also met Maltese altar servers from Gozo, who continue a 60-year tradition of summer service in St. Peter’s Basilica.
During the audience, Pope Leo XIV received two paintings as gifts one created by a prisoner in Slovakia, presented by Michal Libant of the Dismas community, and another titled Habemus Papam, painted by Croatian artist Eva Vukina on the day of the Pope’s election.
The gathering reflected themes of unity, reconciliation, and the Church’s mission to build peace across cultural and religious divides.