During his Aug. 23 Angelus address at the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV remembered the victims of an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and of a deadly mining landslide in the Central African Republic.

“In my prayers, I often remember the Democratic Republic of the Congo, especially in light of the spread of the Ebola epidemic, which is sadly claiming many lives. I encourage on the part of the international community a response that also involves local communities in efforts of prevention, so that many human lives may be saved,” Leo said.

The recent Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo was first declared in May 2026, claiming the lives of close to 2,500 people, according to an Aug. 21 BBC report. The country is currently distributing a vaccine against the virus, and public health officials have declared it the deadliest outbreak in the country’s history.

On Aug. 18, a landslide at a gold mine near Zamboyé in western Central African Republic buried and killed more than 100 workers, according to an Aug. 19 BBC report. Rescue efforts are ongoing for potential survivors, and Pope Leo prayed for all those who lost their lives in the disaster.

“I am also close to the people of the Central African Republic, who are mourning the victims of the collapse at a mine in Zamboyé. May the Lord receive those who have lost their lives and sustain efforts to ensure safety and respect for the law at mining sites,” the pope said.

‘Who is Jesus for me?’

During his Angelus, Leo also preached on the Gospel of the day, in which Jesus asks his disciples about his identity and Peter’s confesses his faith in Jesus as the Son of God.

The pope noted that the question of Jesus’ identity is decisive for one’s everyday experience of discipleship.

“The question that is put to us each day — who is Jesus for me, and what does his presence mean in my life? — emerges especially in prayer and when we meditate on the Gospel,” Leo explained.

The faithful gathered in St. Peterʼs Square for Pope Leo XIVʼs Angelus address on Aug. 23, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

“In our daily lives, in short, we can discover whether the Lord Jesus is for us merely a great figure of history … or the Christ of God, the One sent to bring us into the love of the Father and to transform our lives and the world in which we live,” the pope added.

The pope then encouraged the faithful not to be content with their own convictions about Christ, but to “remain open to an authentic relationship with Christ.”

“Yet Jesus calls us to give a personal response, to know him more closely and to allow ourselves to be shaped by friendship with him through an ever new encounter. This may also ask us to follow unfamiliar paths and to make choices different from those we had imagined.”

Pope Leo XIV met with sick and disabled residents of the city of Rimini, Italy on Aug. 22, urging them to “follow the Lord by taking an active part in the life of the Church.”

The meeting came at the end of a whirlwind day of travel for the pope, who visited the tiny landlocked country of San Marino before making an appearance at the 47th Meeting for Friendship Among the Peoples in Rimini.

Pope Leo XIV is handed flowers by a woman in a wheelchair at Rimini Cathedral, Aug. 22, 2026, during a meeting with people suffering from illnesses and disabilities. | Credit: Vatican Media

In his meeting with those suffering from illness and disabilities, which took place at Rimini Cathedral, the pope said the ancient church signified to the sick and poor: “You are home.”

Jesus, the Holy Father said, worked to “heal [sick people] and restore to them a life worthy of their dignity.”

Pope Leo XIV speaks at Rimini Cathedral, Aug. 22, 2026, during a meeting with people suffering from illnesses and disabilities. | Credit: Vatican Media

He urged the assembly to take part in Church life “in the parish, in associations, and in places of welcome and service.”

The pope subsequently said Mass at the Port of Rimini, where in his homily he told the faithful that “everything we are and have is a gift from God.”

He said every baptized Christian is oriented toward “embracing, gathering, welcoming, liberating, forgiving [and] emancipating anyone who is a prisoner of sin and its consequence.”

Referring to St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans, the pope said: “God is simple, because he is pure charity, and calls us also to love with a heart similar to his, conforming our ways to his ways and our thoughts to his thoughts.”

Pope Leo XIV arrived in the Italian city of Rimini on Aug. 22 to visit the 47th Meeting for Friendship Among the Peoples, telling about 60,000 attendees that “love is the force that can transform the world.”

Upon arrival after a brief visit to the country of San Marino, Leo addressed a spontaneous greeting to the people gathered in the auditorium, expressing his joy and pointing out that “the loudest applause should be for Jesus Christ.”

Pope Leo XIV greets attendees at the 47th Meeting for Friendship Among the Peoples in Rimini, Italy, Aug. 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

“Our hearts, so big and capable of loving, should never be closed. Letʼs find the way together to build a world of peace and love,” he said.

In his speech to the gathering, Pope Leo recounted the teachings of his immediate predecessors on social friendship, fraternity and union, highlighting the value of Riminiʼs meeting to achieve these ideals. The annual event is hosted by the international organization Communion and Liberation.

He assured the assembly that “in recognizing our dignity as children of God, we come into contact with what originally unites human beings, beyond all diversity, separation or conflict.”

“We can identify with each other, listen to each other and establish friendship, between individuals and, therefore, also between peoples. Before borders, definitions and institutions, there are always people,” he added.

Reflecting on the pastoral constitution Gaudium et spes of the Second Vatican Council, Pope Leo did not hesitate to affirm that “it is a time of responsibility” among men and that it is love that is the foundation of a fraternal society.

“Following Jesus Christ after the tragedies and the new beginnings of the twentieth century implies, in fact, a clear awareness: Evil is not fought with evil. As in heaven, as on earth, love is the law of life, the method of redemption of the crucified Messiah,” he said.

“Faced with the false realism that rearms minds, words and nations, the current Catholic culture must counteract the realism of mercy, which maintains that enemies cannot exist and that everyone, even adversaries, are brothers to whom they look into the eyes and receive with sincerity,” he added.

Addressing especially young people, Leo told them that they “are a sign that the future is a promise, not a threat” and witnesses of a love that “continues to inspire hope.”

“Love moves, drives, awakens from lethargy, inspires new vocations and calls us to take risks. Get involved! Open up to true universality, expanding your ties beyond any too close affiliation,” he said.

"In every corner of the world, especially in the margins and among those who suffer, you will find those willing to build the civilization of love. Do not allow anyone to belittle this word, which is the very name of God: 'God is love,'" said the Holy Father.

“In love, there is never coercion or indoctrination; there is never seduction, deception or manipulation. Love resides only in freedom, in sincere exchange, in generous self-giving.”

Finally, he invited young people to remain devoted to Christ to testify, without boasting, in the midst of todayʼs world.

"May the Holy Spirit instruct us in the practice of communion. That gives us pleasure for [the Holy Spirit], appreciation for him and hope in him. May he continue to guide us, dear brothers and sisters, with that love 'that moves the sun and the other stars'," he concluded.

This story was originally published by ACI Prensa, EWTN News’ Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

In the small landlocked country of San Marino on Aug. 22, Pope Leo XIV called on young people to open "the door of their heart" to God, assuring them that the faithful “only find authentic freedom in Jesus Christ."

After his arrival in San Marino, one of the smallest and oldest republics in the world, and following a meeting with the country’s captains regent, the pope went to the Basilica of San Marino. There, together with priests and the faithful, he worshiped the Blessed Sacrament and venerated the relics of Saint Marinus.

Pope Leo XIV speaks to pilgrims at the Basilica di San Marino, Aug. 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

“Iʼm glad to meet you in this basilica,” the pope said in a speech after the moment of prayer. “I would like us to live this moment together as a pause in our common path in the footsteps of Christ.”

Addressing especially young people, the Holy Father recalled the words spoken by his predecessor Benedict XVI when visiting San Marino in 2011: “Do not stay in the partial, immediate answers [...], easier at first and more comfortable, which can give some moments of happiness, of exaltation, of drunkenness, but that do not lead you to the true joy of living.”

Benedict XVI had told pilgrims at the time: “Your heart is an open window to infinity!” Addressing the faithful on Aug. 22, Pope Leo said: “Well, dear young people: keep that window open!”

“Follow with the gaze of the soul the paths that trace in you the great longings for beauty, goodness and life that you carry in your heart," the pope said.

“If you carefully observe their journey and listen to your voice, they will lead you to the top, to meet God, where He seeks and waits for you; and, with his help, your dreams will have the necessary strength to leave a mark on history and improve it,” he added.

As a “second call,” the pope said to young people: “Enthusiastically embrace your mission in the world! Do it, first of all, trying to understand what the call is for you, unique for each one, and value its greatness.”

“Then, give yourself to him and invest without reservation all the richness of the gifts that God has granted you,” he continued, encouraging them not to be “fear of making demanding decisions, such as marriage, consecration, orderly ministry, professional life or social and political commitment.”

The Holy Father also expressed his “sincere gratitude to the priests, catechists and educators,” who “work for the human and Christian growth of young people,” and highlighted their “hidden, but very important” work of helping parents, who are “first responsible for the education of their children in faith.”

“The family, in fact, is the first place of formation in the faith, the natural bosom in which the Gospel is learned from childhood and breathed on a daily basis," he said.

He encouraged the faithful to establish “an educational pact, so that parents feel involved, rediscover the faith themselves in a new way and have the joy of transmitting to their children the Christian values of which they are custodians.”

While warning that “we live in a world wounded by numerous conflicts,” the pope assured the assembly that, in the face of “these disturbing tendencies,” the response of believers “can be no other than to travel the path of the Gospel with an even greater conviction.”

Towards the end of his address inside the basilica, the pope encouraged the faithful to live in communion, giving “testimony of unity in our communities: among the parishes and, within them, between pastors and faithful, among the different charisms and ministries.”

After concluding the meeting inside the basilica, the Holy Father addressed a greeting to the faithful who were outside and spoke again in a special way the young people present: “Open the door of your heart, always listen to Jesus Christ and never be afraid to listen to what Jesus wants to say to each of you.”

“Recognize in yourselves the value of life. The value of your life, of you, who were created by God and are loved by God: your life has a great value for us, for the Church, for your family and for the whole world,” said the pope.

This story was originally published by ACI Prensa, EWTN News’ Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Pope Leo XIV on Aug. 22 arrived in San Marino, launching a pastoral visit on the occasion of the country’s 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations with the Holy See.

The Holy Father was also scheduled to visit the Italian city of Rimini, where the Meeting for Friendship Between Peoples takes place.

The pope left Rome by helicopter around 8 a.m. and arrived 45 minutes later at the Torraccia airfield in San Marino. There he was received by the Captains Regent Alice Mina and Vladimiro Selva who were accompanied by various local officials.

Also present in the welcome delegation was the apostolic nuncio in Italy and the Republic of San Marino, Monsignor Edgar Peña Parra, as well as Monsignor Domenico Beneventi, the bishop of San Marino-Montefeltro.

In a telegram addressed to Italian President Sergio Mattarella — sent by custom as the pope was leaving Italian territory — Leo expressed his greetings, accompanied “with fervent wishes for the spiritual, civil and social progress of my beloved Italy.”

Pope Leo XIV greets pilgrims in the Piazza della Libertà in San Marino, Aug. 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

Upon his arrival, military honors were given to the pope, after which a private conversation was held between the pontiff and the captains regent in the Palazzo Publico. The Holy Father also met with local authorities and representatives of civil society.

Later, the captains regent addressed a few words to the pope, who in turn gave a speech in which he said he was enormously pleased to visit San Marino, which has the honor of being “the oldest republic in the world.”

The pope thanked the captains regents for their invitation and for the warm welcome they gave him. He stressed the importance of the 100 years of relations between the Vatican and San Marino.

“This connection is old due to its long historical coexistence, but at the same time recent if we consider that just a century ago, in April 1926, diplomatic relations between the Holy See and the serene Republic of San Marino were formalized,” he said.

The pope then reflected on the value of freedom in personal life and in the events of a nation, pointing out that “there is no true civil freedom without personal freedom.”

“This freedom is granted and guaranteed, ultimately, by God, whose voice resonates in the consciousness of every human being,” he said.

“Promoting freedom means defending the space of consciousness. And here our thoughts are addressed to the many men and women who, in all times and places, are martyrs of freedom because they testify to the primacy of conscience,” he added.

The pope highlighted the value of figures such as Saint Thomas More, patron saint of rulers and politicians, who inspire those who exercise power to remain faithful to their consciences “even in times of great adversity, witnesses of true freedom, the freedom that comes from being sons and daughters of God.”

At the same time, Pope Leo remarked that freedom is realized “in giving, in communion, in encounter and in dialogue,” being lived according to the Gospel. In addition, he continued, freedom is also “a constant commitment to active and positive participation in peacebuilding.”

Finally, the Holy Father pointed out that San Marino can be a “laboratory” of good policies, highlighting the “human care” that is expressed in “the protection of every life, at every stage, from conception to natural death.”

“This concern for others has been a distinctive feature of the history of San Marino since its beginnings,” he said.

“This sensitivity is also the result of the Christian tradition of this country and the constant and positive collaboration between the political authorities and the bishop in the pursuit of the common good,” he said.

This story was originally published by ACI Prensa, EWTN News’ Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Pope Leo XIV has urged Catholic legislators to promote policies that protect families from the dangers of artificial intelligence (AI).

The pontiff delivered his remarks on Aug. 21 in an audience at the Vatican with participants of the 17th annual meeting of the International Catholic Legislators Network (ICLN), taking place in Rome from Aug. 20–23.

Cardinals Christoph Schönborn, Béchara Boutros Raï, and Charles Maung Bo were also present at the audience as patrons of the network.

AI must not be allowed to weaken families

In his address, Leo reflected on the theme chosen for the meeting, “Human Dignity and Artificial Intelligence: Challenges, Chances, and Control.”

“Artificial intelligence must never be allowed to erode this primary cell of society — whether by reducing persons and relationships to data and simulations, by flooding young minds with content that distorts desire, or by economic models that make family life economically precarious,” Leo explained.

“For this reason, I encourage you to promote policies that strengthen marriage and families, support parents in their educational mission, and enable young people to look to the future with confidence.”

Pope Leo XIV blesses a family after a private audience with a delegation from the International Catholic Legislators Network at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican on Aug. 21, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

The pope then reminded those present that their responsibility is not to hinder development but to promote the common good.

“Responsible for providing policies for the administration of technology for the common good, your task is not to hinder innovation but to guide it wisely,” Leo said. “[Sound legislation] should protect users from exploitation, preserve personal privacy, ensure transparency in the use of emerging technologies, and guarantee that they strengthen democratic institutions.”

The ICLN was founded in 2010 in Austria to serve as a network for Catholic legislators worldwide. Since then, its annual meetings have been held in Rome. During their 2025 meeting, Pope Leo urged members to look to St. Augustine’s “City of God” for inspiration.

After its 17th annual meeting concludes, the ICLN will host a peace summit in Assisi on Aug. 24, themed “The Urgent Call for Christian Leaders to Be Effective Peacemakers.” The summit will feature Mass, keynote addresses, and fraternal visits as the city continues to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi.

August is a particularly important month for Augustinians, the Order of St. Augustine of Hippo to which Pope Leo XIV belongs, as the Catholic Church celebrates a number of Augustinian saints.

St. Augustine himself and his mother, St. Monica, are honored just one day apart at the end of August, but mystics, missionaries, and martyrs who lived out the Augustinian call to seek God through prayer, community, and charity also enjoy feast days this month.

Here are the Augustinian saints — and a blessed — the Church celebrates in August:

Blessed John of Rieti — Aug. 2

Blessed John of Rieti was an Italian Augustinian friar whose short life became a remarkable example of holiness lived through simplicity, charity, and joy.

Born around 1318 in Castel Porchiano, near Amelia, Italy, John entered the Augustinian order as a teenager and was sent to the friary in Rieti. Though he died at just 18 years old in 1336, those who knew him remembered him for his humility, friendliness, and deep love for his fellow friars.

John was particularly attentive to the sick and to visitors, treating everyone with kindness and reverence. According to the Augustinian tradition, he never did or said anything contrary to fraternal charity.

His remains can be found at the St. Augustine Church in Rieti, and he was declared blessed by Pope Gregory XVI in 1832.

St. Clare of Montefalco — Aug. 17

St. Clare of Montefalco was an Italian Augustinian nun, abbess, and mystic who developed a profound devotion to the passion of Christ.

Born around 1268 in Montefalco, Italy, Clare joined an order of Franciscan tertiaries at a young age. Her sister, Giovanna, was the abbess and their small community eventually became a formal convent of nuns following the Rule of St. Augustine in 1290. After Giovanna’s death, Clare became abbess at just 23 years old.

Clare was especially known for her contemplation of Christʼs passion and for mystical experiences connected to the cross. Due to this, she is sometimes called “Clare of the Cross.”

During her final illness, she told her sisters that she carried Christʼs cross in her heart. After her death in 1308, her heart was examined and the sisters reported finding symbols associated with Christʼs passion formed within it. Clare was canonized by Pope Leo XIII in 1881.

St. Ezekiel Moreno — Aug. 19

St. Ezekiel Moreno was an Augustinian Recollect friar, missionary, and bishop who spent much of his priestly life serving Catholics in the Philippines and Colombia.

Born in Alfaro, Spain, in 1848, he joined the Augustinian Recollects as a teenager and professed his religious vows in 1865. After being ordained a priest in Manila in 1871, he spent 15 years working in the Philippines before returning to Spain and eventually being sent to Colombia, where he devoted himself to missionary work and the renewal of religious life.

In Colombia, Ezekiel became the first vicar apostolic of Casanare and later served as bishop of Pasto. His episcopacy took place amid civil war, anti-Catholic persecution, and significant challenges for the Church.

Despite these difficulties, he remained committed to his people and strongly defended the Churchʼs rights. Diagnosed with cancer, he returned to Spain for treatment and died on Aug. 19, 1906. He was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1992.

Sts. Liberatus, Boniface, and Companions — Aug. 26

Sts. Liberatus, Boniface, and their five companions were seven monks who were martyred in North Africa in 484 during the persecution of Catholics under King Hunneric.

The monks belonged to a monastery at Gafsa, in present-day Tunisia, that had been founded under Augustinian inspiration. The group included Liberatus, their abbot; Boniface, a deacon; Servus and Rusticus, subdeacons; and three lay monks named Rogatus, Septimus, and Maximus.

The monks were taken prisoner and pressured to abandon their Catholic faith, but they refused. The youngest of the group, Maximus, was only 15 and was especially urged to separate himself from the others, but he remained steadfast. The authorities attempted to burn the monks alive, but when the fire would not ignite, they were ultimately beaten to death.

Pope Clement X granted the Order of St. Augustine the right to celebrate their collective liturgical memorial in 1671.

St. Monica — Aug. 27

St. Monica is best known as the mother of St. Augustine of Hippo, but her own life offers a powerful example of perseverance in prayer and trust in God.

Born around 331 in Tagaste, North Africa, Monica was raised in a Christian family and married Patricius, a pagan. She became the mother of three children, including Augustine, and patiently worked to guide her family toward the Catholic faith. Her example and persistent prayers eventually helped lead her husband to conversion.

Monica is especially remembered for the years she spent praying and shedding tears over Augustine, who pursued a very different path from the faith in which she had raised him. Her perseverance was eventually rewarded when Augustine converted to Christianity and was baptized by St. Ambrose in Milan in 387.

Monica died shortly afterward at Ostia while preparing to return to Africa with her son. The Church celebrates her feast on Aug. 27, one day before the feast of St. Augustine. She was canonized by Pope Gregory IX in 1234.

St. Augustine of Hippo — Aug. 28

St. Augustine of Hippo is one of the most influential figures in the history of Christianity and is honored as a bishop, doctor of the Church, theologian, and spiritual father of the Augustinian order. Born in Tagaste, North Africa, in 354, Augustine spent much of his youth searching for truth and happiness outside the Catholic faith. Through the prayers of his mother, Monica, and his own long spiritual journey, he eventually experienced a profound conversion and was baptized by St. Ambrose in Milan in 387.

After returning to North Africa, Augustine established a monastic community and was later ordained a priest and named bishop of Hippo. He became a prolific writer and preacher, producing works that would profoundly influence Christian theology and spirituality.

Augustine died on Aug. 28, 430, as the Vandals were invading North Africa. His feast day follows immediately after that of his mother, St. Monica. Pope Boniface VIII later named him a doctor of the Church in 1298.

The bishop who oversees the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in France has said the popular Catholic pilgrimage site will cover all of its mosaics by disgraced priest Father Marko Rupnik ahead of Pope Leo XIV’s visit next month.

Bishop Jean-Marc Micas of Tarbes and Lourdes told the French daily La Dépêche du Midi on Aug. 20 that “all of the works on the façade” of the Basilica of the Rosary will be covered and redecorated out of respect for abuse victims. He also said they will remain covered going forward.

EWTN News confirmed the report with the press office of the shrine. Details about how the mosaics are to be covered and when were not yet available.

Micas’ decision to cover the mosaics comes just over a month before Pope Leo’s scheduled visit to France, which will include a stop at the popular Marian apparition site in Lourdes from Sept. 26–27.

The visibility of the mosaics by Rupnik, an accused sexual abuser currently undergoing a Vatican trial, risked becoming the literal backdrop of Leo’s rosary procession and other events at Lourdes.

The topic of sexual abuse and care for victims is still likely to come up in the pope’s meeting with French bishops on Sept. 27, though the pontiff is not expected to address the status of Rupnik’s case.

The Vatican has also said Leo will meet privately with victims of abuse sometime during his France trip, but no other details have been shared.

Covering all of Rupnik’s mosaics is the Lourdes bishop’s most dramatic step yet with regard to the artworks by the priest-artist. The mosaics were added to the neo-Gothic facade of the lower Lourdes basilica at the end of 2007.

Rupnik, who has been accused of spiritual, psychological, and sexual abuse of religious sisters, was removed from the Jesuits in June 2023 and is currently facing a canonical trial at the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith over the allegations he abused dozens of women religious, including some within the context of the creation of his art.

Micas formed a commission in May 2023 to discuss the future of the Rupnik mosaics. Since July 2024, the art has no longer been lit up at night or during candlelight processions.

For the Jubilee of Hope in 2025, the central doors of the lower basilica, which also feature Rupnik’s artwork, were covered, though the largest mosaics, depicting the luminous mysteries of the rosary, remained visible.

“My role is to ensure that the shrine welcomes everyone, especially those who are suffering,” Micas told La Dépêche du Midi. "Among them are victims of sexual abuse and assault, both children and adults. … Those who are suffering and wounded, who need consolation and healing, must remain the top priority in Lourdes.”

The bishop added that the mosaics “will remain covered after the Holy Father’s pilgrimage, following which a new process of reflection will be launched. The current commission will be expanded — notably to include artists and theologians — in order to consider the future of the basilica’s façade.”

Rupnik’s prolific art career has created a problem for many shrines and Catholic churches across Europe and North America. Rupnik’s workshop was involved in projects for over 200 liturgical spaces around the world, including at Fátima, the Vatican, the John Paul II shrine in Washington, D.C., and the tomb of St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio).

The Knights of Columbus in 2024 covered mosaics by Rupnik in the two chapels of the St. John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, D.C., and in the chapel at the Knights’ headquarters in New Haven, Connecticut, a dramatic move that represented at the time the strongest public stand by a major Catholic organization regarding the former Jesuit’s embattled art.

Pope Leo XIV met with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Thursday morning at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican. Their private meeting lasted about half an hour and focused on the main challenges facing Lebanon, particularly the security situation in the south and the implementation of the Trilateral Framework Agreement.

According to the Lebanese Presidency, Aoun renewed his thanks to the pope for his efforts to support Lebanon in addressing its concerns, including ending the Israeli occupation and attacks. He also asked the Holy Father to continue urging Israel to implement the provisions of the Trilateral Framework, an agreement signed between Beirut and Tel Aviv under U.S. auspices on June 26 linking phased Israeli withdrawals to Lebanon disarming the Iran-backed militia Hezbollah.

Aoun also asked for the pope’s support to immediately halt attacks on villages, infrastructure, and civilians in southern Lebanon, as well as withdraw from the areas it occupies.

The Lebanese president presented the Holy Father with a wooden reliquary depicting the face of Patriarch Elias Hoyek alongside a cedar tree. Hoyek was beatified in July at the Maronite Patriarchate’s summer residence in Diman, northern Lebanon. He is considered one of the most prominent figures in the establishment of the modern Lebanese state.

Previous Pope Leo-Aoun meetings

Aoun has met with Pope Leo XIV several times prior to the Aug. 20 audience. He attended the pope’s inauguration Mass in May 2025, held a private Vatican audience with him in June 2025, and met him again during the pope’s historic visit to Lebanon in late November and early December 2025.

Today’s audience with the pope comes at a critical moment for the Land of Cedars, following several rounds of direct negotiations between the Lebanese and Israeli governments in Washington, D.C., and Rome. These talks were initiated after Pope Leo XIV visited Lebanon and issued a fervent call for peace in the country. The negotiations have addressed key issues including a ceasefire, an Israeli withdrawal, border arrangements, prisoners, and the disarmament of Hezbollah.

Restricting the decision of war and peace

Aoun also met on Thursday with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations Archbishop Paul Gallagher.

According to the Vatican, their discussions focused primarily on the Trilateral Agreement. The Holy See welcomed the signing of the agreement while expressing deep concern over the difficulties surrounding its implementation and reaffirming its support for efforts to advance the process.

The Lebanese president outlined the political, economic, and living conditions his country has experienced in recent years and called for continued Vatican diplomatic efforts at international forums to support the countryʼs demands. He stressed that these efforts must be accompanied by extending the authority of the Lebanese state over its entire territory and placing the decision of war and peace solely in its hands.

Deteriorated security situation in southern Lebanon

The security situation in southern Lebanon has deteriorated sharply in recent days. With Hezbollah having rejected the U.S.-brokered framework agreement and active fighting against Israel continuing, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health reported that Israeli airstrikes killed 11 people and wounded 19 others on Aug. 15 in one of the deadliest incidents since a truce reached between the fighting parts last June.

Additionally, the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon reported a marked increase in military activity across southern Lebanon, recording an average of 137 projectiles per day between Aug. 5 and 16.

Despite these challenges, Aoun continues to pursue a diplomatic path toward peace, seeking Vatican and international support. On Friday he is expected to discuss Italyʼs potential involvement in international verification arrangements for southern Lebanon, a crucial component of the security framework designed to ensure Hezbollahʼs disarmament. His meeting with Italian leadership will take place on the sidelines of his participation in the opening ceremony of the Taranto 2026 Mediterranean Games, a major sporting event hosted in Italy.

In a message published ahead of the 11th World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation on Sept. 1, Pope Leo XIV emphasized the need for interior conversion to heal the suffering caused by wars.

“The wounds of war and the degradation of the earth … are profoundly linked to the condition of the human heart,” Leo said in his message published on Aug. 20.

“When the heart is distorted, relationships suffer, and the structures we build begin to reflect that disorder,” he added.

Pope Francis established the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation in 2015 as an ecumenical initiative to encourage Christians to pray for the protection of creation.

Leo chose the theme for this year to be "They Shall Beat Their Swords Into Plowshares and Their Spears Into Pruning Hooks,” drawn from Isaiah 2:4.

Healing requires conversion

Leo explained in his message that war’s consequences extend far beyond the loss of human life.

“War leaves wounds that extend far beyond the battlefield. It claims lives, tears families apart and forces millions to flee their homes, thereby deepening fear, injustice and division,” Leo said.

The pope then said that healing after the devastation of war requires a conversion of heart and renewed fidelity to God.

“In fact, the human heart is the place where the deepest struggles unfold and our fallen condition reveals itself.”

“The prophetic call to ‘beat swords into plowshares’ is therefore not only a vision for nations, but a call to each person. It invites us to transform harm into life. Yet this transformation cannot be achieved through external change alone. It requires, through cooperating with God’s grace, a deeper personal and collective conversion — a returning to God, who will reorder our desires, heal our wounds and help us grow in virtue,” Leo said.

In July 2025, Pope Leo approved new Mass prayers to support the Church’s appreciation for God’s creation. The “Mass for the Care of Creation” was inspired by Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si’.

VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV has highlighted the importance of sacred music in the liturgy, calling for the Church’s musical heritage to be preserved while fostering healthy inculturation of local traditions.

“For this reason, the composer of sacred music is called to know and preserve the musical heritage of the Church, allowing it to inspire new compositions at the service of the liturgy, while respecting contemporary sensibilities and the different cultural traditions,” Leo said.

In his address during his general audience at the Vatican on Aug. 19, the pontiff continued his catechesis on the Second Vatican Council’s constitution on the liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium.

The general audience was his third of the month to be held inside St. Peter’s Basilica due to Rome’s high summer temperatures.

Pope Leo XIV greets the people at his general audience in St. Peter’s Basilica on Aug. 19, 2026. The general audience is being held in the basilica in August to avoid the hot summer temperatures. | Credit: Vatican Media Sacred music — an integral part of the liturgy

Leo discussed the Second Vatican Councilʼs emphasis on the role of sacred music in the liturgy.

“The document states that ‘The musical tradition of the universal Church is a treasure of inestimable value, greater even than that of any other art,’” Leo explained.

He also explained that sacred music fosters both prayer and communion among the faithful.

“Music, indeed, is part of the liturgical action and is not merely a decorative part of the celebration,” Leo said. “In particular, music expresses the affective dimension of prayer, as St. Augustine says: ‘Cantare amantis est,‘ that is, ‘singing belongs to those who love.’”

“Singing also fosters communion. It contributes to the unity of hearts, overcoming differences between people and bringing everyone together in praise of God through the symphony of voices,” he added.

A Vatican gendarme stands guard as Pope Leo XIV walks past Michelangelo’s “Pietà” in St. Peter’s Basilica at the start of his Wednesday general audience on Aug. 19, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Tradition, inculturation, and active participation

The pope went on to explain that, because sacred music is so important, the liturgy should be celebrated with dignity, with music that is both noble and simple. He also highlighted the role of Gregorian chant and the pipe organ in fostering devotion during the liturgy.

“The Council then attributes great value to Gregorian chant, without excluding other genres of sacred music from the celebration. Particular attention is also given to the pipe organ, while the use of other instruments is permitted ‘on condition that the instruments are suitable, or can be made suitable, for sacred use, accord with the dignity of the temple, and truly contribute to the edification of the faithful,’” Leo said.

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Leo also discussed inculturation in Church music to incorporate diverse cultures.

“A theme close to the Council’s reform is that of inculturation, including in the field of sacred music. In particular, with regard to the musical traditions of different cultures, the Council emphasizes the importance of taking them seriously into consideration, as they form part of people’s religious and social life.”

The pope also encouraged the faithful to participate in singing parts of the Mass to reflect the sacred mysteries being celebrated.

“Sacrosanctum Concilium devotes considerable attention to the theme of the active participation of the faithful,” Leo said. “As for the concrete way in which this can be achieved through the specific role of sacred music, the Constitution offers a clear answer: ‘the people should be encouraged to take part by means of acclamations, responses, psalmody, antiphons, and songs’ and ‘reverent silence’ should be fostered.”

Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday appointed 12 new consultors to the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development — reflecting a diverse group of theologians, experts, and professors, including two from the University of Notre Dame.

Pope Francis established the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development in 2016. It promotes the Church’s efforts in the areas of peace, migration, health, and ecology. Consultors are called on to periodically meet with dicastery members to provide expert advice.

Pope Leo XIV renewed the leadership of the dicastery at the end of June with the appointment of Italian economist Sister Alessandra Smerilli, FMA, to succeed Cardinal Michael Czerny, SJ, as prefect.

He also appointed Italian Cardinal Fabio Baggio, CS, who has been the dicastery’s undersecretary since 2022, to serve as pro-prefect alongside Smerilli. Father Jozef Barlaš was promoted from the dicastery’s undersecretary to secretary. They begin their roles on Sept. 1.

2 Notre Dame professors appointed

Among the new consultors are Father Emmanuel Katongole, a priest from the Archdiocese of Kampala in Uganda and a professor of theology and peace studies at Notre Dame.

Before joining Notre Dame’s faculty, as stated in his biography, Katongole served as associate professor of theology and world Christianity at Duke University and as a founding co-director of the Duke Center for Reconciliation. He is also the founder and president of Bethany Land Institute, an education center in Rwanda inspired by Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’.

Clemens Sedmak is the other Notre Dame faculty member among the newly appointed consultors. Sedmak is a professor of social ethics and director of the Nanovic Institute for European Studies.

A native of Austria, Sedmak previously served as the FD Maurice Professor for Moral Theology and Social Theology at King’s College in London. He has also served on the faculty of the University of Salzburg and holds degrees in philosophy, theology, and social theory.

Other appointees

The other new consultors to the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development are:

• Kathryn A. Koch, president and chief executive officer of Trust Company of the West in Los Angeles
• Monsignor Peter Klasvogt, rector of the Pontifical Teutonic College of Santa Maria in Camposanto in Rome
• Father Francesco Coluccia, director of the Office of Healthcare Ministry of the Archdiocese of Otranto, Italy
• Father Joseph Jeyaraj Swaminathan, SDB, associate professor at the Faculty of Educational Sciences of the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome
• Omer S. Combary, professor in the Department of Economics at Thomas Sankara University in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
• Lucy Afandi Esipila, regional executive secretary of Caritas Africa
• Paolo Foglizzo, editor of Aggiornamenti Sociali — San Fedele Cultural Foundation in Milan, Italy
• Peter G. Kirchschläger, director of the Institute of Social Ethics at the University of Lucerne, Switzerland
• Jacqueline Remond, adjunct lecturer at the School of Theology of Australian Catholic University in Sydney
• Caren Rodrigues, associate professor at St. Joseph’s Institute of Management in Bangalore, India

Pope Leo XIV has offered prayers and condolences to the victims of a recent ferry accident on Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe on Aug. 11.

In a telegram dated Aug. 18 and signed by Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the pope expressed sadness upon learning that a ferry had sunk in Lake Kariba. According to an Aug. 12 BBC news report, at least 44 people died in the incident.

“His Holiness Pope Leo XIV was deeply saddened to learn of the fatal ferry accident on Lake Kariba. Entrusting the souls of the deceased to the loving mercy of Almighty God, he sends heartfelt condolences to those who mourn their loss,” the telegram said.

The pope also offered prayers for civil authorities and first responders in their ongoing rescue efforts following the tragedy.

According to the BBC, the ferry had a capacity of 90 people on board, but it was reported that 120 boarded, including 12 children.

The vessel capsized and sank after being struck by strong waves. Rescue efforts continue to intensify, with 77 people rescued at the time of the BBC report.

Leo’s recent telegram is the third sent in August to express condolences after disasters. In an Aug. 11 telegram, he expressed closeness to the victims of a 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck western Colombia on Aug. 10, which killed at least 281 people and injured 3,971, according to Colombia’s President Abelardo de la Espriella on Aug. 13.

In an Aug. 17 message, he offered condolences to the victims of a 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Indonesia on Aug. 15, which, according to an Aug. 17 BBC news report, killed at least 53 people and left over 5,000 displaced.

Pope Leo XIV has sent a message expressing his closeness to the Indonesian people following a 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck the country on Aug. 15.

In a telegram dated Aug. 17 and signed by Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the pope expressed his sadness on learning of the earthquake, which, according to an Aug. 17 BBC news report, has killed at least 53 people and left over 5,000 displaced.

According to the same report, the earthquake has also caused severe structural damage to hundreds of buildings, particularly on Indonesia’s Flores Island and in North Sumatra. Authorities continue to assess the number of injuries.

“His Holiness Pope Leo XIV was deeply saddened to learn of the devastation caused by the earthquake in the region of East Nusa Tenggara, and he offers the assurance of his spiritual solidarity and closeness to those suffering the continuing effects of this disaster, particularly for the many displaced and injured,” the telegram said.

In the message, addressed to the archbishop of Ende, Archbishop Paulus Budi Kleden, SVD, the pope also encouraged authorities to continue their humanitarian efforts and commended “the dead to the loving mercy of Almighty God.”

Leo’s recent telegram follows that of Aug. 11, in which he expressed closeness to the victims of a 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck western Colombia on Aug. 10, which killed at least 281 people and injured 3,971, according to Colombia’s President Abelardo de la Espriella on Aug. 13.

In his Sunday Angelus address on Aug. 16, Pope Leo XIV renewed his appeal for peace in the Israel-Palestine conflict, calling for a two-state solution and an end to violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.

“I renew my appeal for an end to the ongoing violence against the Palestinian civilian population in the West Bank, and I urgently call on the international community to work toward advancing the two-state solution, for a just and lasting peace,“ Leo said in his address.

The pope delivered his Angelus address once more from the Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo after traveling there from the Vatican to celebrate the feast of the Assumption on Aug. 15, for which he also delivered an Angelus address. He will remain there from Aug. 12–18.

The Vatican’s longtime support for a 2-state solution

The pope and the Holy See have consistently called for a two-state solution to the conflict in the Holy Land.

In 2025, Leo met separately with the Israeli and Palestinian presidents and discussed the solution with both heads of state.

During a Sept. 23 press briefing with reporters at Castel Gandolfo, the pope highlighted the Vatican’s long-standing support for the two-state solution.

“The Holy See has supported the two-state solution for many years,” the pope recalled, pointing out that the Vatican formally recognized Palestine in 2015 with the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement. “The Holy See recognized the two-state solution some time ago. That is clear: We must seek a path that respects all peoples.”

Despite challenges, each person has own place with the Father

During his Angelus, Leo also preached on the Gospel of the day, recounting Jesus healing the daughter of a Canaanite woman. The pope noted the woman’s persistence and faith in seeking a miracle, despite Jesus and his disciples initially refusing her.

“The disciples see her as a nuisance, and Jesus himself resists her pleas,” the pope said. “Reflecting upon this, we can understand Jesus’ obedience in fulfilling his mission by allowing himself to be moved by what he sees and hears. Finally, he says to her: ‘Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’”

From her persistence, Leo explained, the faithful can learn “humility and determination” and that “each person has his or her own place with the Father.”

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Pope Leo XIV on Aug. 15 called on Catholics to look to Mary, the Mother of God as an example of “true beauty,” with the Holy Father pointing to her youthful appearance in sacred art as a sign of “love that never ends.”

The Holy Father delivered the homily during Mass at the Pontifical Parish of Saint Thomas of Villanova in Castel Gandolfo, directly adjacent to the papal summer residence there. The small chapel was full for the 10 a.m. liturgy of the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

In his homily reflecting on Mary’s assumption into heaven, Leo noted that “many works of art depict her as a beautiful young woman physically rising from the earth toward the heavens at the end of her earthly life.”

These depictions of a youthful Mary at the end of her life offer a contrast with “our experience of what the passing of years does to us,” the pope said. He asked rhetorically: “What do we have in common with the beautiful young woman depicted on the altarpieces of our churches?”

Mary’s glorification, the pope said, “teaches us that our true beauty does not lie in hiding the signs of aging, but in revealing the signs of love that never end, and are even impressed on our flesh.”

The pope said this sign of faith invites Catholics to “reexamine many of the aesthetic standards, predominantly hedonistic and consumerist in nature, that the world imposes on us.”

He contrasted those who look aged but who radiate “serenity, kindness and peace” with those who “are perhaps outwardly attractive but hard and cold at heart.”

“It is easy to see where true beauty lies and where, on the other hand, there is still a need for conversion, forgiveness and healing,” he said.

Love “is humanity’s most beautiful adornment,” the pope said. He urged Catholics to “follow the light of the Risen Lord” in part by “looking to Mary, whom God has crowned with glory in body and soul.”

In remarks during his midday Angelus after the Mass, Leo said viewing a depiction of Mary being assumed into heaven “allows us to contemplate our ultimate destiny” as followers of Christ.

He described the Blessed Mother as “a sign of hope and consolation” for the faithful and he invoked her blessing on “those communities that are particularly in need of consolation,” including the faithful in Ukraine and Russia, as well as those suffering from the recent earthquake in Colombia.

The solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Aug. 15 is an opportune time to deepen our love for the Mother of God by understanding the “place” God has assigned her for our spiritual benefit and eternal salvation.

Mary’s assumption into heaven is a dogma of faith for Catholics.

Church dogmas encompass truths concerning God, Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, the Church, the sacraments, and the ultimate destiny of human beings. With regard to Mary, the Church has defined four dogmas.

Below is a review of the dogmas proclaimed regarding Mary, a helpful reminder of the role she plays in God’s plan of salvation for us.

1. The Immaculate Conception

The dogma of the Immaculate Conception states that the Blessed Virgin Mary was preserved by a singular grace of God and in view of the merits of Jesus Christ from all stain of original sin from the very first moment of her conception.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) summarizes it thus: The Virgin was “preserved immune from all stain of original sin” such that her “entirely unique holiness” was enriched “from the first instant of her conception,” which God granted her to prepare within her a dwelling place for the Incarnate Word.

This dogma was defined by Pope Pius IX on Dec. 8, 1854, through the papal bull Ineffabilis Deus. Church teaching emphasizes that this grace comes from Jesus Christ, not apart from him: Mary was redeemed in a “prevenient” (or “preceding”) and perfect manner in virtue of her Sonʼs merits.

2. Divine motherhood

Mary’s divine motherhood means that the Virgin is truly the mother of God, because Jesus Christ, her son, is one divine person with two natures, the human and the divine. Therefore, the child born of Mary according to the flesh is the eternal Son of God made man; in this sense, Mary is truly Theotokos, the Mother of God (cf. CCC, 495).

This truth was solemnly proclaimed by the Council of Ephesus in the year 431 under the pontificate of Pope Celestine I. In the 20th century, the Second Vatican Council reaffirmed this doctrine by noting that “from the most ancient times, the Blessed Virgin is honored with the title of Mother of God” (Lumen Gentium, 66).

3. Her perpetual virginity

The dogma of perpetual virginity affirms that Mary was a virgin before, during, and after the birth of Jesus. This truth has been part of the Catholic faith since the early centuries.

It is not merely a matter of noting that Mary remained a virgin up to a certain point but of professing that her virginity was perpetual. St. John Paul II recalled that the Church has consistently regarded this truth as part of the faith received and deepened throughout its history.

Unlike the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption, this dogma was not defined in a single papal bull. Maryʼs perpetual virginity was formally defined through the Second Council of Constantinople (553) and the Lateran Synod (649).

4. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary states that the Blessed Virgin, having completed the course of her earthly life, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory. The Church does not define the exact manner in which her earthly life ended, but it does proclaim with certainty that she was fully glorified by God (cf. CCC, 966).

This dogma was solemnly proclaimed by Pope Pius XII on Nov. 1, 1950, through the apostolic constitution Munificentissimus Deus. That document reaffirms that the Immaculate Mother of God was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.

Important to remember

Marian dogmas do not detract in any way from Jesus Christ; on the contrary, they reveal the greatness of God’s saving work in the Virgin Mary. Therefore, authentic Marian devotion never separates Mary from Jesus Christ but rather contemplates her as the Lord’s first and most perfect disciple.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Pope Leo XIV has appealed to all people to recognize the suffering of child migrants, noting that they are often the most vulnerable during mass migration.

In a message published by the Vatican on Aug. 14, the pope reflected on the theme for the 112th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, “Even Just One of These Children,” drawn from Matthew 18:5. The initiative is organized by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.

Leo highlighted the growing challenges faced by minors forced to migrate from their home countries, including human trafficking, loss of parents, and sexual violence.

“Sadly, migrant children are more easily ignored, because they lack adults capable of protecting and supporting them,” Leo said in his message.

“To this already appalling situation are added further tragedies: deaths along migration routes, trafficking and exploitation, the recruitment of minors for use in armed conflicts, sexual violence, forced marriages, and the atrocities they have suffered or witnessed during their travels.”

He also noted the contributions of families, civil society, and Church communities in helping child migrants.

“We think of the families who open the doors of their homes in order to restore to these children the warmth of a family hearth; the educators who serve in reception centers; the volunteers and aid workers who each day devote themselves to healing the invisible wounds of these little ones along migration routes and in our cities,” Leo said.

The pope then appealed to civil institutions to work to improve protections for migrant children to uphold the dignity of every child.

“Even just one of these children, in the context of civil institutions, calls us to reaffirm the principle of the best interests of the child. Public and private institutions are bound to prioritize the protection and dignity of every single child and adolescent,” he said.

Pope Leo XIV has emphasized the need for priests to remain faithful to the texts and instructions of the Mass and to receive the proper formation to celebrate the sacred liturgy with dignity.

“I have called attention to the respect that all those called to prepare the celebration of the divine mysteries, and priests in particular, must show toward the rites promulgated by Pope Saint Paul VI and Pope Saint John Paul II,” the pontiff wrote in a letter addressed to Cardinal Arthur Roche, prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, published Aug. 14.

“It is vital that this respect ‘springs from an inner attitude of openness and trust in God, manifesting humility before his greatness and sincere fidelity to ecclesial communion,’" Leo added.

Roche is participating in a conference on liturgical formation organized by his dicastery at the Benedictine Abbey of Mount Angel in Oregon from Aug. 14–19. Other participants include cardinals, bishops, and laypeople with diverse Church experiences.

According to the dicastery, the meeting is intended to be “a joint reflection with the aim of defining shared, concrete, and practical proposals.”

“The choice of a monastic community signifies the intention to engage in dialogue within a prayerful setting,” the press release states. “Rather than a scholarly conference, it will be a time of spiritual discernment on the theme of liturgical formation, to continue along the path charted by Sacrosanctum Concilium.”

In Leo’s letter, he stressed the need for clergy and laity to receive ongoing liturgical formation, citing Pope Francis’ apostolic letter on the liturgy, Desiderio Desideravi.

“In his Apostolic Letter Desiderio Desideravi … Pope Francis emphasized the need for an attentive and ongoing formation of clergy and laity alike in revitalizing the liturgical life of the universal Church,” Leo said. “I would therefore encourage you to explore concrete paths for liturgical formation at every level in the Body of Christ.”

One practical opportunity for liturgical formation, he said, is in the regular gathering for Mass on Sundays.

“These celebrations are anchored in the annual rhythm of the liturgical year, with the Paschal Mystery at its center. For this reason, it is essential that they also be profoundly formative, promoting an ever deeper understanding of the ars celebrandi, expressed not only by the celebrant of the liturgy, but also by the entire assembly,” the pope said. “In this way, through proper education and reverent worship, Catholics will be formed both for the liturgy and by the liturgy.”

As the pontiff also noted in his letter, his remarks follow his recent addresses on the Second Vatican Council’s constitution on the liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, during Wednesday general audiences.

In his Aug. 12 audience, Leo encouraged the faithful to attend Sunday Mass and warned that virtual gatherings cannot replace in-person attendance.

Pope Leo XIV has directed the Office of Papal Charities to send 100,000 euros ($115,345) to the Catholic Church in Colombia to aid those affected by the Aug. 10 earthquake, which struck several cities in the western part of the country.

As reported by Vatican News, the donation was confirmed on the website of the Colombian Bishops’ Conference (CEC, by its Spanish acronym). The aid was made possible through the coordination of the prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín, with the apostolic nunciature in the country and the president of the CEC, Archbishop Javier Múnera.

The CEC announced that the funds will be sent to the National Secretariat for Social Pastoral Care-Caritas Colombia, the entity acting “as a coordination center for the collection and distribution of aid, with the aim of helping to address the most urgent needs of the affected communities.”

“The €100,000 in aid constitutes an initial response to address the most urgent emergencies. According to information provided by the Holy See, additional assistance will be made available as new needs are identified and promptly communicated to the Dicastery for the Service of Charity,” the CEC reported.

Given the extent of the damage in various dioceses such as Pereira, Cali, and Quibdó, among others, the CEC said that “in the coming days, work will continue on compiling a report regarding the priority needs of the affected communities, with the aim of directing aid to those who need it most.”

During his Aug. 12 general audience, Pope Leo XIV once again expressed his closeness “to our brothers and sisters in Colombia who have suffered the consequences of the recent earthquake, which has caused many deaths and injuries, as well as extensive material damage.”

“As I pray to the Lord for the eternal rest of the deceased, I assure you of my prayers for their families and all those affected by this tragedy. I express my gratitude to all those working on rescue and relief efforts for the victims,” the pope said.

Meanwhile, the Colombian government declared three days of national mourning “in memory of the people who lost their lives as a result of the 7.4-magnitude earthquake that occurred on Aug. 10.”

The Ministry of the Interior noted in a statement that Mondayʼs earthquake “is the greatest-magnitude quake recorded in Colombia during the 21st century, causing damage in various departments [administrative districts] and giving rise to a profound sense of solidarity throughout the country.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.