The Associated Press story refers to Christians being “displaced by years of Islamic extremist violence”; the pope did not use that term. He did, however, openly reference the suffering of Christians due to persecution in the Middle East, the cradle of Christianity. Christians were subjugated and murdered through the centuries as Islamic marauders brutalized them, and the persecution continues. Few care, since the West is obsessed instead with “colonialism” and “Zionism,” which preoccupations today serve to veil the brutality of Islam’s history. The last pope was more concerned about presenting Islam in a positive light than about protecting Christians from ongoing persecution.
Pope Leo XIV also spoke about “actively” promoting “the spirituality and traditions of the eastern rite churches.” He specifically referenced the Coptic, Chaldean, Maronite and Eritrean Catholic churches, as well as the Syro-Malabar church in India and Greek Catholic communities.” These are among the Christian communities that are most threatened by jihadis today.
The Christian world awaits how the pontiff’s remarks will play out, given the aggressiveness of Islam; but kudos to him for bringing at least some awareness to this persecution, after it has been ignored for years.
“Pope vows every effort to work for peace in regions where Christians persecuted, forced to flee,” Associated Press, May 15, 2025:
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV vowed to take “every effort” Wednesday to work for peace in the Middle East and Ukraine and to actively promote the spirituality and traditions of the eastern rite churches, those Catholic communities with origins in the Mideast and eastern Europe that have been decimated by years of conflict and persecution.
“The church needs you!” Leo told a Holy Year audience of eastern rite pilgrims.
Eastern-rite Catholics accept the authority of the pope but have many of their own rituals and liturgy. They include the Coptic, Chaldean, Maronite and Eritrean Catholic churches, as well as the Syro-Malabar church in India and Greek Catholic communities that are found across Eastern Europe and the Americas. Unlike Orthodox Christians, these Catholic churches fully recognize papal authority.
In his remarks, Leo acknowledged that many eastern rite Catholics have been forced to flee their homelands because of “war and persecution, instability and poverty.” It was a reference to the exodus of Christians from the Middle East, Iraq and Syria especially, where entire communities have been displaced by years of Islamic extremist violence. Many of these communities in northern Iraq were some of the oldest of the faith, where the dialects of Aramaic — the language of Jesus — are still spoken….
Hoi Polloi says
How long has it been since a pope went even this far? Let’s hope he picks up steam and addresses islam, as CDW notes he has yet to do.
GE says
Nice to see that our Eastern Rite Churches are finally getting some notice—
When Eastern Rite Catholics started arriving in the US they were treated shabbily by the Roman Catholic hierarchy. In 1889 Father Alexis Toth arrived in Minneapolis from present day Slovakia to minister to the Greek Catholic Church there. Paying a courtesy call to the Roman bishop John Ireland, he was insulted and told he would protest Father Toth’s presence and refused to let him serve as a priest in Minneapolis. Ireland also ordered his parishes and priests to have nothing to do with Eastern Rite Catholics.
In 1890, Toth and other Eastern Rite priests who were treated similarly, approached the Russian consul in San Francisco asking to be put in touch with a Russian Orthodox Bishop, resulting in Toth’s decision to join the Russian Orthodox Church.
Toth died in 1909. By 1916 the Roman Catholic Church had lost 163 Eastern Rite parishes and 100,000 parishioners.
He was canonized by the Eastern Orthodox Church in America in 1994.
abu taleb says
Why doesn’t he mention the African Christians who are being killed in thousands every year by Islam jihadis?
I suspect, this new pope is afraid to bring the topic of Islam against non muslims which is clearly shown in Africa. In Middle East, the genocide against non muslims by the muslims can be disguised as political conflict, but not in Africa.
GE says
+💯
Bret says
Another Crusade might be the only answer. America’s military cannot fight terrorists in every country. The left and global elites has allowed Islam to become very bold. Find out who’s arming these terrorists and stop them first