Pope: Greek Melkite Church ‘witness of peace in conflict-scarred lands’

By Devin Watkins

Pope Leo XIV held an audience on Saturday with members of the Synod of Bishops of the Greek Melkite Church of Antioch.

He recalled that it was in Antioch that the followers of Jesus Christ were first called “Christians,” saying we are still called to live our lives in a way that bears witness to God’s presence among us.

“You do not simply carry the faith in your minds,” he said, “but allow it to penetrate your hearts, impelled by the Spirit to share food with the hungry, to provide education and health care, to accompany and encourage the suffering, to allow the Church to be a beacon—the light of Christ—especially in this tumultuous period.”

Pope Leo noted that many areas where the Greek Melkite Church is present are beset by war, unrest, religious extremism, and economic distress.

In the midst of their trials and desire to imitate Christ, the Pope reminded the Greek Melkite Catholic faithful of his closeness, affirming the solidarity of the entire Catholic Church.

“I think in particular of the wounds and difficulties you face that spur many of your faithful to travel to distant lands, to find work, escape dangers and sometimes even persecution, to raise their families in safety,” he said.

Vocation to reconciliation and peace

At the same time, the Greek Melkite Church bears a profound vocation to be “icons of centuries of faith in the holiest places of our salvation.”

“What a great vocation your Church has: to be witnesses of reconciliation and peace in lands ravaged by conflict,” he said. “You are the seeds of communion in lands scarred by violence.”

Pope Leo said the Greek Melkite Synod serves as the guardian of communion, helping the faithful strive for unity so that all people may recognize Christ in them.

“We must be ever vigilant not to fall into the temptation to elevate ourselves above others, seeking power rather than service, profit rather than transparency and honesty, and personal success rather than pastoral care,” he said.

It is at painful moments when anger and fear tempt us that we offer the most eloquent expression of our faith and the Gospel by choosing to “manifest love,” he said, noting that the clergy bear the most responsibility to offer this witness.

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Pope Leo then prayed that the Greek Melkite clergy may continue to form young people in Christian hope and love.

“We have seen throughout history that the trials we face—whether martyrdom or the simple sacrifices we make out of love for our neighbor—give us the opportunity to show our faith in a way that resonates in the hearts of those who are seeking true peace,” he said.

In conclusion, Pope Leo expressed the Holy See’s desire to support Catholic education in the Middle East, recalling its support for scholarships available for the faithful in Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq.

“Our goal is to support young people,” he said, “so that Christian families will have the assistance required to remain in the Middle East and maintain a Christian presence.”

Scholarships for Catholic education

Separately, the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches released a statement detailing the reach of this pastoral initiative.

“His Holiness has directed that scholarships be provided to these communities through the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches to cover their children’s annual school and university tuition fees,” it read. “Through this gesture of paternal care for children, adolescents, young adults, and their families, Pope Leo XIV wishes to express his closeness and that of the entire Catholic Church to the faithful who have suffered greatly from the conflicts and instability that have long afflicted these countries.”