LIVE UPDATES: NCYC 2025 — Pope Leo XIV’s historic first digital encounter with young U.S. Catholics
Catholic News Agency |
22 November 2025
Pope Leo XIV greets young American Catholics from the Vatican during a digital dialogue held between the Holy Father and participants in the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis, Friday, Nov. 21, 2025 / Credit: Vatican Media
CNA Staff, Nov 22, 2025 / 07:56 am (CNA).
The 2025 National Catholic Youth Conference features prayer, community, evangelization, and service among Catholic teenagers from Nov. 20–22 in Indianapolis. Follow CNA’s live coverage of the event below.
Pope urges educators in Africa to support youth seeking a better future
Pope Leo XIV urges Catholic educators in Africa to help young people regain confidence in their future, especially those driven to leave the continent. In a message addressed to a congress held in Nairobi, he calls for formation that strengthens family life, revives solidarity and sacrifice, and shapes leaders committed to the common good.
Vatican News
Pope Leo XIV has urged Catholic educators in Africa to help young people rediscover confidence in their future, especially those driven to leave the continent out of despair. His message, signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, was sent to Archbishop Gabriel Sayaogo for the African Congress on Catholic Education held in Nairobi from 4 to 7 December.
The congress, titled “Catholic Education and the Promotion of Signs of Hope in the African Context,” focused on revitalising formation grounded in Christ. The Pope expressed appreciation for ongoing efforts to advance the Global Compact on Education, a commitment strongly supported by Pope Francis.
Education that forms “full hearts”
Pope Leo recalls that Catholic education aims not only to develop “cultivated minds” but also “full hearts” capable of compassion and concern for others. Young people, he notes, are “the wealth of Africa,” and educators must find effective ways to guide students toward the future with confidence.
He warns that many youths, discouraged by limited opportunities, leave the continent at great personal risk. Educators, he says, can help restore in them the belief that “nothing is lost” when they are accompanied by mentors who help them recognise their talents and set ambitious goals rooted in Africa’s cultural and moral strengths.
Protecting the family and forming leaders
Drawing on his homily for the Jubilee of Families, the Pope highlights the family as the place where “the future of peoples is built.” He calls for protecting the family as intended by the Creator and promoted by the Church, guarding it against harmful ideologies.
Many African leaders were formed in Catholic schools, he notes, yet the continent still faces significant challenges. He encourages educators to nurture two qualities essential for responsible leadership: solidarity and a spirit of sacrifice—values deeply rooted in African tradition and central to the Church’s mission of forming people committed to the common good.
An evangelising mission
“Education is not only a job but an evangelising mission,” the Pope concludes. Recalling his predecessor’s description of young Africans as potential “ambassadors of peace,” he urges all involved in education to form men and women who can become the builders of the continent’s future.
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Haitian bishops call for hope and change in a Christmas message
In a message issued on 8 December, the Episcopal Conference of Haiti stress that Christ’s birth can be a source of hope to everyone and call for the upcoming elections to be a chance to “rise above partisan interests”.
By Kielce Gussie
Ahead of the Christmas season, the Episcopal Conference of Haiti (CEH) issued a message with the biblical theme, “The light of Christ shines in our darkness”. In it, the bishops spoke to a population “tested, journeying through the dark of night of uncertainty and pain”. Yet, the statement stressed that the Haitian people are capable of “unexpected achievements.”
The hope of Christmas
In the message, released on 8 December, the CEH highlighted how Jesus was born “in the shadow of poverty”—something they argued with which many people in Haiti can resonate deeply. Especially in the midst of this Jubilee Year of Hope, the bishops noted that Christ’s birth can be a source of hope to everyone.
However, their statement was not one of naivety. It did not call for Christian hope to be an escape from the challenges of reality, nor a “superficial optimism”. Rather, the bishops described this Christian, Christmas hope as a push towards responsible and resolute action.
In Haiti, gang violence has killed at least 4,388 people between January and September, according to the UN’s office in Haiti, BINUH. Some 1.4 million people have been displaced, and more than half of the population of almost 12 million are facing acute food insecurity.
Gang violence has left at least 4,388 people between January and September—according to the UN’s office in Haiti, BINUH (AFP or licensors)
Despite the current challenges in the country, the Haitian bishops encouraged everyone—no matter their vocation or age—to continue their mission to be “peacemakers”.
Another sign of hope that the bishops praised was the 2026 World Cup qualification of the national football team, which they called a symbol of the Haitian people’s capacity to overcome division.
Elections could spark change for future
In light of the violence raging in the country, the “flagrant limitations of institutions”, and the security emergency, the Haitian bishops stressed the call for all political leaders, social actors, public and private institutions to “rise above partisan interests”.
Ahead of the 7 February 2026 elections, the CEH reiterated the central role of the 1987 Constitution, which they called the “law of laws. That date marks the end of the mandate of the Presidential Transitional Council (CPT), and the bishops called for all those involved in politics to use the constitution as a framework to avoid disorder.
They clarified that the upcoming elections can only be “democratic, inclusive, and transparent” if a genuine climate of security is created—something they urged all national authorities to work towards establishing.
Their message also pushed for “a new leadership” built upon integrity, service, and the courage to reject privileges. The country, the Haitian bishops explained, needs leaders who can renounce corruption, resist manipulation, and work for the common good.
Concluding their statement, the CEH entrusted the country to the “Prince of Peace” Jesus Christ and placed Haiti under the protection of the Virgin Mary. The bishops expressed their hope that Christmas will spark renewed hope for meaningful change by 2026.
The message was signed in Haiti’s capital of Port-au-Prince and brought together all the members of the Episcopal Conference of Haiti.
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COMECE expresses concern over EU Court judgement on same-sex marriage
The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union expresses concern in a statement over a recent ruling by the EU Court of Justice on the recognition of same-sex marriages across Member States.
Vatican News
In a statement released on Tuesday, December 9, the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) expressed concern over a recent judgment issued by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) regarding the recognition of same-sex marriages across EU nations.
On November 25, the CJEU ruled that an EU Member State “has the obligation to recognise a marriage between two Union citizens of the same sex that has been lawfully concluded in another Member State where they have exercised their freedom to move and reside.”
The case concerned a Polish couple who married in Germany in 2018. When they moved back to Poland, authorities refused their request to transcribe their certificate in the Polish civil register, as the national law does not allow for same-sex marriage.
“While fully respecting the role of the EU judiciary, we feel compelled to comment on some aspects of the ruling, noting with concern its impact upon questions that are at the core of national competence,” the COMECE wrote in their statement.
They noted that the EU Court had already made advances in this area with past judgements, but that this recent ruling “appears to push jurisprudence beyond the boundaries of EU competences.”
Ruling on marriage is a matter of national law
The EU Court ruling specifies that the obligation to recognize a marriage like in this case “does not undermine the institution of marriage in the Member State of origin, which is defined by national law”. Thus, each nation is free to decide whether to allow or not same-sex marriage and as EU law currently stands, it cannot detract from that competence.
However, the COMECE highlights that “the EU Court strictly narrows down the significance of such affirmation by underlining that in exercising this competence, each Member State must comply with EU law.”
“We note with worry the trend to apply provisions that should protect sensitive components of national legal systems in a way that impoverishes their meaning,” the Commission wrote, citing Article 9 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, which states that the right to marry and found a family is guaranteed according to national laws.
“Marriage is defined as a union between a man and a woman in the legal systems of various EU Member States, including, in some cases, by means of Constitutional provisions,” the COMECE stated, noting that for some EU nations the definition of marriage forms a part of their national identity.
The Commission also highlighted some other points of concern, such as the fact that this ruling has an impact on legal certainty, as EU States may not be able to foresee in the future which parts of their family law will remain within their autonomy.
Additionally, the COMECE underlined with concern that this judgment could bring negative developments and future similar legal approaches in other sensitive areas, such as surrogacy.
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Pontifical Yearbook now available online with information on global Church
The Holy See’s official Pontifical Yearbook is now available online, providing up-to-date information on the Catholic Church’s institutions across the globe.
By Salvatore Cernuzio
From December 8, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, the Annuarium Pontificium—the Holy See’s official Pontifical Yearbook—is available in a fully digital version, accessible via web browser and mobile app.
The new platform offers data on the Dicasteries of the Roman Curia, Dioceses, Religious Institutes, and Apostolic Nunciatures.
The project was jointly developed by the Secretariat of State and the Dicastery for Communication, and was presented recently to Pope Leo XIV.
Accompanied by Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, Substitute of the Secretariat of State, and Msgr. Lucio Adrián Ruiz, Secretary of the Dicastery for Communication, together with other representatives of the two Dicasteries, Pope Leo effectuated the first login and navigated the platform himself.
“Thank you for this work, which will be of great use for many who work in the service of the Church,” said the Pope to those present at the launch event.
He encouraged them “to continue with this spirit of service, so that what is born with care and attention may, in time, become an even greater help.”
Msgr. Ruiz and Archbishop Peña Parra present the Pontifical Yearbook to Pope Leo
Heir to the medieval Liber Pontificalis (the collection of papal biographies), the Pontifical Yearbooktook shape in the mid-twentieth century as an essential reference for anyone needing official information on the Catholic Church throughout the world.
Now that same corpus can be searched online, marking a significant step in updating and modernizing the information tools at the service of the universal Church.
According to a statement from the Secretariat of State, access from any device—via browser or app—overcomes the logistical limits of the printed volume and makes the informational patrimony of the Holy See consultable.
The digital Yearbook is explicitly designed as a service tool for a broad range of users. It is intended first of all for the Dicasteries of the Roman Curia, which rely on constantly updated data to exercise their functions.
It offers Apostolic Nunciatures a strategic resource for their diplomatic and pastoral work, and it enables Bishops’ Conferences to deepen their understanding of ecclesial realities in different territories.
Religious Institutes, Pontifical Universities, research centers, and other academic institutions gain access to data aligned with the Holy See’s official communications.
Journalists and Church communications professionals can also rely on the platform as an authoritative reference, with certified content and reliable, verified information.
Information such as new appointments, changes in office, and modifications to ecclesial structures no longer has to wait for the next printed edition of the Yearbook; those variations can now be reflected online in short order.
The system also introduces advanced search functions, allowing users to filter data by name, by diocese, by office or role, by country, or by institutional area.
“In a time when communication is ever faster and more global, offering immediate and reliable access to information on the life of the Church—with certified data—means putting technology at the service of the ecclesial mission,” Archbishop Peña Parra emphasized. “It is a sign of attentiveness, transparency, and responsibility towards the Catholic community and towards all those who seek to understand the reality of the Church in the world.”
The Secretariat of State assumed overall coordination for the digital Pontifical Yearbook, defining institutional requirements, identity-related aspects, and principles of user experience.
The Dicastery for Communication, and in particular its Technology Office, was responsible for the technical development of the digital infrastructure, for the creation of the database, and for the processes of normalizing the data prepared by the Central Office of Church Statistics.
The project also benefitted from the contribution of young professionals trained in service design and user experience, ensuring that the platform’s technical robustness is matched by usability and clarity.
Conceived from the outset as an evolving project, the digital Yearbook will be progressively enriched in both depth and breadth.
Future developments include the recovery and integration of historical information from archives and from earlier printed editions, as well as new releases that will expand the platform’s functionalities and analytical potential over time.
In this perspective, the Secretariat of State invites all those who will use the platform to contribute actively to its refinement, by sending observations and suggestions to improve the service to the address: [email protected]
It can also be accessed via a dedicated app for iOS and Android. Users must either register on the web version or download the app through the App Store or Google Store.
The digital Pontifical Yearbook operates on a subscription system with two plans, both of which guarantee continuous access to the database and the daily data updates.
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Pope Leo XIV welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the papal residence at Castel Gandolfo to discuss the war in Ukraine and the return of Ukrainian children taken to Russia.
Vatican News
Pope Leo XIV welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the papal residence in Castel Gandolfo on the morning of 9 December.
The Holy See Press Office issued a statement describing the cordial meeting, saying discussions centered mainly on the war in Ukraine.
During their talks, the Pope reiterated the importance of ongoing dialogue and once again stressed his “urgent hope that ongoing diplomatic efforts will lead to a just and lasting peace.”
The two heads of state also spoke about the issue of prisoners of war, calling for ensuring the safe return of Ukrainian children to their families.
Exactly five months ago, the President met with Pope Leo at the residence at Castel Gandolfo for a private audience—during which similar topics were discussed.
In the July meeting, Pope Leo—elected just two months prior to the papacy—expressed his sorrow for the victims of the war and assured the people of Ukraine of his ongoing prayers for them.
Pope Leo and Zelenskyy met five months ago at Castel Gandolfo (@Vatican Media)
The Holy Father had also reiterated the Vatican’s willingness to host both Ukraine and Russia for potential negotiations.
Following the meeting, President Zelenskyy addressed journalists in English, expressing his gratitude for the audience and the Pope’s support especially regarding the return of Ukrainian children—calling it “a very important question.”
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From the north to the south of the country, the small team at Aid to the Church in Need is working hard to ensure that Christians have a home in the Land of the Cedars. Pastoral care and education are the charity’s two main priorities.
By Jean-Charles Putzolu – Beirut, Lebanon
Marielle, Charlotte and Fouad make up Aid to the Church in Need’s team in Lebanon. They travel across the country to meet bishops and study the projects being developed by the dioceses. The economic crisis that hit Lebanon hard in 2019 wiped out the savings of families and Church institutions alike. Yet each month, schools, parishes and dioceses manage — almost providentially — to pay their staff.
“The goal is to support families,” explains Father Raymond Abdo, who oversees several schools and a retreat center in Qobayet, near the Syrian border in the far north of Lebanon. The Carmelite priest, formerly provincial in Beirut, is able to keep the schools open thanks to the generosity of the faithful and the support of charitable organizations from Germany, Austria, Poland and France.
Father Raymond Abdo, OCD in Qobayet
Lebanon: A priority for ACN
ACN, headquartered in Frankfurt, collects donations from 140 countries and allocates them to projects around the world. Lebanon is among its priorities due to the precarious situation of Christian schools and the need to slow — since stopping it appears impossible — the exodus of Christians from the country. Many are driven away by collapsing living conditions, political instability, intercommunal tensions, and the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley.
In Douris, in the heart of the Bekaa, at least 186 explosions were recorded between September and November 2024. One shell struck a garage used as a Hezbollah weapons storage site, causing serious damage to surrounding homes. Abdo, a retired soldier and father of two young girls, was thrown across his house by the blast. The garage was right across the street. He found one of his daughters under the rubble, curled up, covered in dust, terrified and badly injured. She spent five days in intensive care. ACN covered the hospital costs. The child is physically healed, but the psychological trauma runs deep. The events of 25 September 2024 are “unforgettable,” says Abdo. His house had just been renovated; he must now rebuild again, going further into debt.
Across from the destroyed garage, Joseph, a retired police officer, was not physically harmed but his home was also damaged. Both men insist they did not know it was a weapons cache. They knew Hezbollah used the building, but were told no weapons were stored there. They only ever saw trucks driving in and out.
The Hezbollah garage bombed by the Israeli army, with Abdo's house behind
In such exceptional situations, ACN — like other charities — makes the rare choice of providing emergency aid. The three local staff members review each case before submitting it to Frankfurt. In southern Lebanon, the foundation helps fund food parcels for Christian families affected by the conflict. Once Israeli operations end, it hopes to develop larger projects. Charitable organizations also plan to help rebuild damaged homes. Without housing and without schools for their children, Christians leave — which is why ACN also supports private Catholic schools.
Often working together with another major charity, L’Œuvre d’Orient, ACN provides bonuses for teachers to ensure they earn enough to support their families, and covers part of tuition fees for children from vulnerable families — whose numbers have multiplied since the crisis. L’Œuvre d’Orient, meanwhile, contributes to building maintenance and renovation. Together, these organizations form a network of support on the ground.
Father Raymond Abdo welcomes this cooperation. He has received help from several benefactors to renovate his schools. “Children often come from far away. Some take two school buses to get here, but their families want to send them to a Catholic school, because for them it guarantees a quality education.”
Giving reasons to grow in faith
In Menjez, a village in northern Lebanon, Filipino Franciscan Missionaries of the Sacred Heart run a school and dispensary. Each month they must pay the salaries of 35 employees — teachers and administrative staff. They themselves take no salary. “We don’t need money for ourselves,” says Sister Aurore. Donations go toward staff salaries and medicines for the dispensary
In El Houssan, Salesian Father Mario, aged 82 and originally from Sardinia, offers a wide range of activities for children: summer camps, games and catechesis. A public school stands on Salesian land. Around it, the community has planted trees, built a grotto dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and created a sports field. They welcome both Christians and Muslims. Everyone joins in the activities. The Salesians cultivate a “culture of encounter.” Peaceful coexistence, Father Mario insists, begins with school and the family.
Father Mario, a Salesian originally from Sardinia
Signs of renewal
Over the past two years, new postulants have joined the Maronite Sisters of the Holy Family, who also run a school. “We went ten years without novices,” the superior says with joy. Sister Marie-Antoinette Saadé, who closely followed Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Beirut, welcomes the novices to the convent at Aabrine. The training of the six young women, two of whom come from Australia, is possible thanks to ACN’s financial support. “Our elderly sisters are leaving us, and the number of novices does not make up for it,” she admits, but she sees in these new vocations a sign of renewal.
This renewal is also visible in the mountains of the Baalbek diocese. Twenty brothers and three priests have built the Beit Maroun monastery from scratch. Most are under 30 and have chosen a life far from that which appeared to await them after university. They put their professional skills at the service of the community. One is an architect who designed the chapel, monastic cells and church. The brothers — who become stonemasons, carpenters and builders — construct everything with their own hands. “What rises here does not belong to us,” says Brother Christophorus. Their monastery attracts thousands: 3,000 people attended their annual retreat two years ago, 5,000 last year. And given the rough condition of the rocky path leading there, it is clear that visitors are motivated by more than curiosity. The brothers live in the simplicity of St Maron and radiate contagious joy. Two come from Australia, and the Australian Church provides significant support for their project. ACN provides them with insurance coverage — useful, given the risks the “monk-workers” face on the construction site.
The monks of Beit Maroun
Dynamism, hope, and doubt
The Church in Lebanon is alive. Wounded, it strives to heal in the midst of countless difficulties, in a complex environment sometimes unfavorable to Christian presence, especially in the south and the Bekaa. As for the idea that Christians could once again become a majority in Lebanon, the road is long — and uncertain. Father Raymond Abdo sees attempts to “radically” Islamize the country. To illustrate this, Joseph and Abdo, whose homes were damaged in Douris, recount how Hezbollah fully financed the reconstruction of Muslim homes after the explosion, while Christian families received only a few hundred dollars. They are not pushed out directly, but Hezbollah certainly does not encourage them to stay.
Bishop Hanna Rahmé of Baalbek-Deir El-Ahmar nevertheless maintains dialogue with his Muslim “neighbors,” because “we have no choice but to live together.” Yet he admits that the current tension with Israel makes this difficult. During the conflict in late 2024, he sheltered Muslim families on diocesan land, but asked active Hezbollah militants to leave in order not to expose those families to Israeli strikes.
When we met Bishop Rahmé, Israeli surveillance drones were buzzing overhead. “They returned as soon as the Pope left Lebanon,” he said — and many Lebanese fear that hostilities could resume at any moment.
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Pope Leo: Blessed Virgin Mary, watch over this humanity
Continuing a decades-old tradition of paying homage to the statue of the Immaculate Conception in Rome, Pope Leo prays at the foot of the 12-meter column on top of which the figure of the Virgin Mary is placed, and lays a wreath at the base.
By Kielce Gussie
Within 100 years of the proclamation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, the tradition of sending flowers to the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Piazza di Spagna in Rome had begun with Pope Pius XII. A few years later in 1958, Pope Saint John XXIII went to Piazza di Spagna and placed a basket of white roses at the foot of the statue.
Pope Leo made his way through the streets of Rome in the popemobile to the Piazza di Spagna (@Vatican Media)
Continuing this decades-old practice started by his predecessors, Pope Leo XIV marked 8 December—the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception—with a visit to the Piazza di Spagna.
A moment for Mary
As the Holy Father arrived in the Piazza di Spagna, the choir and assembly sang a Marian hymn entitled “You rise more beautiful than the dawn”. The Vicar of Rome, Cardinal Baldassare Reina and the Mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri, welcomed the Pope as he arrived.
After an opening prayer, Pope Leo offered a bouquet of flowers at the base of the 12 meter (39-foot) tall column of the Immaculate Virgin and the choir prayed the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary in song.
This tradition dates back to the 1900s (@Vatican Media)
Then the Pope offered a prayer dedicated to the Virgin:
Hail, O Mary! Rejoice, full of grace, filled with that grace which, like a gentle light, makes radiant all those on whom the presence of God shines. The Mystery has wrapped you round from the beginning; from your mother’s womb it began to accomplish great things in you, things that soon asked for your consent—that “Yes” which inspired so many other “yeses.”
Immaculate one, Mother of a faithful people, your purity bathes Rome in eternal light, your path fills its streets with a fragrance sweeter than the flowers we offer you today. Many pilgrims from all over the world, O Immaculate Virgin, have walked the streets of this city throughout history and in this jubilee year. A humanity tested, at times crushed, humble as the very earth from which God shaped it and into which He does not cease to breathe His life-giving Spirit.
Look, O Mary, upon so many sons and daughters whose hope has not been extinguished: may what your Son has sown in them take root and grow—He, the living Word, who in each person asks to grow still more, to take on flesh, face, and voice. May jubilee hope blossom in Rome and in every corner of the earth, hope in the new world God is preparing, of which you, O Virgin, are like the bud and the dawn. After the holy doors, may other doors now open—doors of homes and oases of peace where dignity may flourish again, where people may learn nonviolence and the art of reconciliation.
May the kingdom of God come—the newness you longed for so deeply and to which you opened yourself completely, as a child, as a young woman, and as mother of the nascent Church. Inspire new insights in the Church that journeys in Rome and in the particular Churches which, in every context, gather up the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of our contemporaries—especially the poor and all those who suffer.
May baptism continue to bring forth men and women holy and immaculate, called to become living members of the Body of Christ—a Body that acts, consoles, reconciles, and transforms the earthly city in which the City of God is being prepared. Intercede for us, grappling with changes that seem to find us unprepared and powerless. Inspire dreams, visions, and courage—you who know better than anyone that nothing is impossible for God, and also that God does nothing alone.
Set us on our way, with the haste that once moved your steps toward your cousin Elizabeth, and with the trembling eagerness with which you became an exile and pilgrim—to be blessed, yes, but blessed among all women, first disciple of your Son, mother of God-with-us. Help us to be always a Church with and among the people, leaven in the dough of a humanity crying out for justice and hope. Immaculate one, woman of infinite beauty, watch over this city, over this humanity. Point them to Jesus, lead them to Jesus, present them to Jesus. Mother, Queen of Peace, pray for us.
Before departing the Piazza, Pope Leo spent time greeting a number of the 30,000 people gathered for the event—a number of children, the elderly and the sick.
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Syria marks al-Assad ouster amid ongoing challenges
Syria is marking one year since the fall of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad after nearly 14 years of war.
By Nathan Morley
Syria is marking the first anniversary of the fall of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, who was ousted on December 8 last year after nearly 14 years of conflict.
The al-Assad dynasty, which held power for 54 years, ended when a rebel offensive forced Assad from office after his 24-year rule marked by accusations of widespread torture and repression.
Up to 300,000 people remain missing, with scores of mass graves believed to exist across the country.
The war triggered one of the world’s largest migration crises, with 6.8 million Syrians — about a third of the population — fleeing at its peak in 2021.
More than half settled in neighbouring Türkiye, while hundreds of thousands found refuge in Lebanon and Jordan.
The UN refugee agency says more than 3 million Syrians have returned since late 2024, though many face dire conditions with no functioning infrastructure, schools, or health services.
European Council President Antonio Costa on Monday reaffirmed the EU’s support for Syria, pledging commitment to a peaceful, Syrian-led process focused on justice, reconciliation, and recovery.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also urged the international community to back the transition, stressing that success depends on sustained humanitarian funding, reconstruction, and economic development.
“What lies ahead is far more than a political transition; it is the chance to rebuild shattered communities and heal deep divisions,” the UN chief said. “It is an opportunity to forge a nation where every Syrian – regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender or political affiliation – can live securely, equally, and with dignity.”
Listen to the report by Nathan Morley
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The Immaculate Conception in the hearts and words of the Popes
On the occasion of the solemnity of December 8, we look back at several reflections from Popes throughout the years—a Marian path that connects to the dogma proclaimed by Pope Pius IX.
By Amedeo Lomonaco
Each year on the Advent journey, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception invites the Church to turn its gaze toward Mary. The historical roots tied to this feast lead back to the 19th century. 171 years ago, on December 8, 1854, Pope Pius IX proclaimed this dogma of the Catholic faith in the Apostolic Constitution “Ineffabilis Deus”.
It reads: “The doctrine which holds that the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instant of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved immune from every stain of original sin, has been revealed by God and therefore must be firmly and inviolably believed by all the faithful.”
Three years later, in 1857, the Pontiff blessed and inaugurated the monument of the Immaculate in Piazza di Spagna, near the Spanish Steps in Rome.
Mary preserved from Original Sin
Fifty years after the publication of “Ineffabilis Deus”, Pope Pius X recalled in the encyclical “Ad diem illum laetissimum” that Pius IX “declared and proclaimed, as a divine revelation by the authority of the apostolic magisterium, that Mary was, from the first instant of her conception, entirely free from original sin.”
The encyclical explains that “if peoples believe and profess that the Virgin Mary was preserved from every contamination, then they must also acknowledge original sin, the restoration of humanity accomplished by Jesus Christ, the Gospel, the Church, and finally even the very law of suffering.”
The Immaculate Conception and Mary's Assumption into Heaven
In the Apostolic Constitution “Munificentissimus Deus” (1950), Pope Pius XII defined that “the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever-Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.”
This dogma of the Assumption—celebrated on 15 August—is closely linked to that of the Immaculate Conception. “By an entirely unique privilege,” the 1950 Constitution states, “she conquered sin with her immaculate conception; therefore, she was not subject to the law of remaining in the corruption of the tomb, nor did she have to await the redemption of her body until the end of the world.”
The coloumn of the Immaculate Conception in Rome
Pope John XXIII and roses for the Virgin
In 1958, Pope John XXIII went to Piazza di Spagna and laid a basket of white roses at the foot of the monument to the Virgin—a tradition that his successors continue. On the feast of the Immaculate Conception, 8 December, 1960, the Pontiff called Mary Immaculate the morning star that scatters “the darkness of the dark night.”
The Catholic doctrine concerning Mary’s immaculate conception and exalting her splendor is familiar to every good Christian: a delight and enchantment for the noblest souls. It is found in the liturgy, in the voices of the Fathers of the Church, in the longing sighs of many hearts eager to honor her…
The promise of Pope Paul VI
On the first anniversary of the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council, Pope Paul VI emphasized during his homily during December 8, 1966, Mass that the Immaculate Conception is “the mystery of privilege, the mystery of uniqueness, the mystery of the perfection of Most Holy Mary.”
“Mary, the only human creature who, by divine design (how much wisdom and love it contains!), by virtue of Christ’s merits—the sole source of our salvation—was preserved from all imperfection," he continued.
Later that same day, during the Angelus, the Pontiff’s words took the form of a promise:
This time it is a promise we must offer Our Lady with our Angelus: the promise to renew our devotion to her, as Mother of Christ and our Mother, according to the theological criteria of the Council.
Criteria that give Mary “an exceptional place in doctrine and in devotion, according to the plan of Redemption—thus Christological and ecclesiological.”
Pope John Paul II and entrusting the Church to Mary
In 1978, at the beginning of his episcopal ministry as the Successor of Peter, Pope John Paul II entrusted the Church in a special way to Mary. At the Angelus on 8 December of that year, his words on the Immaculate Conception intertwined with the life of Jesus:
Christ, who is the author of divine life—that is, of grace in each person—through the Redemption he accomplished, must be especially generous with his Mother… This generosity of the Son toward the Mother goes back to the first moment of her existence. It is called the Immaculate Conception.
The Immaculate Conception frescoed by Francesco Podesti in the Hall of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception in the Vatican Museums
Pope Benedict XVI and the truths of faith in the Immaculate Conception
The mystery of Mary’s Immaculate Conception, Pope Benedict XVI explained at the Angelus of December 8, 2008, reminds us of two fundamental truths of our faith:
First, original sin, and then the victory over it by the grace of Christ—a victory that shines in a sublime way in Most Holy Mary. The existence of what the Church calls “original sin” is, unfortunately, overwhelmingly evident if we only look around us and above all within ourselves… Dearest ones, in Mary Immaculate we contemplate the reflection of the Beauty that saves the world: the beauty of God that shines on the face of Christ. In Mary this beauty is wholly pure, humble, free from every pride and presumption.
Pope Francis and thanking the Virgin
On 8 December, 2015, Pope Francis opened the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, celebrated on the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council. During the act of veneration of the Immaculate in Piazza di Spagna that same day, he offered a prayer of thanksgiving to Mary:
We thank you, Immaculate Mother,
because on this journey of reconciliation
you do not let us walk alone, but accompany us;
you stay close to us and support us in every difficulty.
Blessed are you, now and always, Mother.
Pope Leo XIV and Mary’s path
On 8 December at 4 p.m., Pope Leo XIV will follow in the footsteps of his predecessors and pause to pray at the foot of the statue of the Blessed Virgin in the Piazza di Spagna in Rome.
In his homily on 12 October for the Jubilee of Marian Spirituality, he emphasized that “Mary’s path is behind Jesus, and Jesus’ path leads toward every human being.”
Affection for Mary of Nazareth makes us, with her, disciples of Jesus; it teaches us to return to Him, to meditate and connect the events of life through which the Risen One still visits and calls us.
In Mary, Tota pulchra (You are altogether beautiful), humanity can contemplate the reflection of beauty—one that saves the world.
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Pope at Angelus: Believe as Mary believed, say ‘yes’ to God
On the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Pope Leo XIV prays the Angelus and invites the faithful to believe as Mary did, and to welcome Christ into their lives.
By Isabella H. de Carvalho
On Monday, December 8, Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Pope Leo XIV encouraged the faithful to believe in God as the Blessed Virgin Mary did and thus give “our generous assent to the mission to which the Lord calls us”.
He spoke to the crowds gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the recitation of the Angelus prayer on this feast day, where the Church celebrates how Mary, at the moment of her conception, was preserved from original sin by a unique grace from God, given in view of the future merits of Christ’s redemption.
“The ‘yes’ of the Mother of the Lord is wonderful, but so also can ours be, renewed each day faithfully, with gratitude, humility and perseverance, in prayer and in concrete acts of love, from the most extraordinary gestures to the most mundane and ordinary efforts and acts of service,” the Pope emphasized.
“In this way, Christ can be known, welcomed and loved everywhere, and salvation can come to everyone.”
The Pope leaves us free to accept what he gives us
In his address, the Pope highlighted how the Lord gave the Virgin Mary “the extraordinary grace of a completely pure heart” in light of the coming of Christ. As the Angel Gabriel greeted her by saying “Hail, full of grace: the Lord is with you,” she discovered and welcomed her mission “with the wonder typical of the humble,” the Pope continued.
“With faith she responded with her ‘yes’: ‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word’,” the Pope explained, citing the Gospel of Luke, verse 38.
He emphasized how this grace was able to bear fruit in Mary “because she, in her freedom, welcomed it, embracing the plan of God.” “The Lord always acts in this way: he gives us great gifts, but he leaves us free to accept them or not,” the Pope insisted.
He, in fact, cited St. Augustine, who said “we also believe, because that which came to be [in her] can also benefit us.” Pope Leo thus encouraged the faithful to believe simply as the Blessed Virgin did and welcome whatever mission God calls one to.
The importance of our Baptism
The Pope also highlighted the importance of the sacrament of Baptism in allowing Jesus to enter one’s life: “The miracle, which took place at Mary’s conception, was renewed for us in Baptism: cleansed from original sin, we have become children of God, his dwelling place and the temple of his Spirit.”
He explained that just as Mary, “by means of a special grace,” was able to welcome Christ in herself and then bring him to others, so too the sacrament of Baptism allows Jesus “to live in us and allows us to live united with him, to cooperate in the Church, each according to his or her condition, for the transformation of the world.”
Afternoon appointment in Piazza di Spagna
After having greeted various groups present in St Peter's Square, the Pope reminded the faithful that during the afternoon, he would pay homage to the Virgin Mary at the feet of the Spanish Steps in Rome, where a statue of Our Lady stands.
Every year, on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, the Pope crosses the city bringing a basket of flowers that he lays at the base of the column on which she is placed. Earlier in the day, a team of firemen take their own posy of flowers to the top of the 27-meter column and place it in her arms.
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