Full Breakdown
Pope Leo XIV’s Surprise Video Call to Priests in Southern Lebanon
5/7/2026, 7:09:02 AM
Pope Leo XIV’s Surprise Video Call
On May 6, Pope Leo XIV joined a video call from Rome with thirteen Catholic priests serving villages along Lebanon’s southern border with Israel. The call, arranged through the Vatican’s apostolic nuncio to Lebanon, Archbishop Paolo Borgia, lasted about a minute. Speaking in French, the pope told the clergy that they were in his prayers and urged them to “pray with me so that peace prevails.” He encouraged the priests to remain in their hometowns.
Conflict Background and Recent Incidents
The call occurred amid a fragile cease-fire that began on April 17 following the March 2 war between Israel and Hezbollah. Despite the truce, Israeli forces have continued strikes, including a post-cease-fire attack on Beirut’s southern suburbs that targeted a Hezbollah Radwan Force commander. In the weeks preceding the papal call, Israeli troops demolished a Catholic convent in Yaroun, allegedly while destroying Hezbollah infrastructure, and soldiers were photographed desecrating Christian statues in Debel. These incidents have heightened anxiety among Lebanon’s Christian minority, which comprises roughly one-third of the country’s five-million population.
Key Figures and Groups
- Pope Leo XIV – Head of the Catholic Church, delivering a pastoral message.
- Archbishop Paolo Borgia – Vatican nuncio to Lebanon, facilitator of the call.
- Priests – Father Najib al-Amil (Rmeish), Father Toni Elias (Rmeich), Father Fadi Felefli (Debel) and ten others serving Rmeish, Ain Ebel, Debel, Marjayoun and surrounding villages.
- Hezbollah – Iran-backed militant group engaged in the conflict.
- Israeli military – Conducting operations and responding to incidents involving religious sites.
Timeline of Recent Events
- March 2, 2026 – War between Israel and Hezbollah begins.
- April 17, 2026 – Cease-fire announced.
- April 20, 2026 – Video of Israeli soldier desecrating a crucifix in Debel spreads online.
- April 25, 2026 – Archbishop Borgia photographed with aid groups in Debel.
- May 6, 2026 – Pope Leo XIV’s video call to the thirteen priests.
Impact on Lebanese Christian Communities
The brief papal appearance provided a symbolic affirmation of solidarity, described by participating clergy as a “spirit of hope and joy.” For communities under fire, the call reinforced the perception of a global Catholic presence attentive to their plight, potentially bolstering morale amid displacement and property loss.
Official Statements & Responses
- The Vatican confirmed the pope’s meeting with Archbishop Borgia but released no further details.
- Israeli military spokespeople asserted that the demolished building in Yaroun lacked religious markings and was part of a former Hezbollah compound.
- Israeli spokesperson Nadav Shoshani condemned the soldier’s act of placing a cigarette in a Virgin Mary statue’s mouth, calling it a “deviation from the values expected of its personnel.”
- The Council of Melkite Greek Catholic Bishops urged Lebanese authorities and the United Nations to protect religious sites after the Yaroun demolition.
Criticism and Opposition
Local officials and a nun from Yaroun contested the Israeli claim, stating that the structure destroyed was a convent and school. The French Catholic charity L’Oeuvre d’Orient labeled the demolition a “deliberate act of destruction of a place of worship,” calling for accountability.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Yaroun demolition: Israeli statements describe a non-religious house; AP and local witnesses identify a convent. Photographs released by Israel show a different adjacent building.
- Statue desecration: Video evidence confirms the act, but the Israeli military’s internal response remains limited to a statement on soldier conduct, without details on disciplinary measures.
Verbatim Quotes
- “(The pope) gave us peace and his blessings,” — Father Najib al-Amil, parish priest of Rmeish
- “First, it was a surprise, then it was a great joy,” — Father Toni Elias, Maronite priest, Rmeich
- “‘Greeted us, blessed us, prayed with us’ “The Holy Father greeted us, blessed us and prayed with us.” — Father Fadi Felefli, Maronite priest, Debel
- “We were so happy to receive this blessing and sense of peace the Holy Father brought to us through his words and care,” — Father Fadi Felefli
- “views the incident with utmost severity and emphasizes that the conduct of the soldier completely deviates from the values expected of its personnel.” — Nadav Shoshani, Israeli military spokesperson
What’s Next
The Vatican is expected to continue private pastoral outreach to clergy in conflict zones, while diplomatic efforts aim to reinforce the April 17 cease-fire. Monitoring of Israeli military actions near religious sites and further humanitarian assistance to displaced Lebanese Christians remain focal points for international observers.
