A diplomatic storm denied: Vatican and Washington push back against claims of Pentagon pressure on the Holy See

Apr 10, 2026 16:05

Jorge Enrique Mújica

llustration by The Free Press; images via Getty

Cardinals and Bishops•Holy Land•Local Church•Religious Freedom•Vatican Diplomacy

Holy Land: Cardinal Pizzaballa Says Palm Sunday Mass Ban in Jerusalem Was a Misunderstanding

The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem said: «There were no confrontations, and we don’t want to force things, but rather find a solution respecting the right to prayer. We will celebrate Easter discreetly.»

Mar 29, 2026 17:28

ZENIT Staff

Justice and Peace•Pope Leo XIV•Vatican Diplomacy

Trump responds to Pope Leo XIV: I don’t want a ceasefire

Donald Trump has publicly dismissed the very idea of a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict involving Iran. Questioned about the Pope’s earlier call—issued on 15 March—for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a reopening of dialogue, the U.S. president was blunt: “We can talk, but I don’t want a ceasefire.”

Mar 22, 2026 18:28

ZENIT Staff

Analysis Opinion•Holy Land•Justice and Peace•Pope Leo XIV•Vatican Diplomacy

A Church Against the Logic of War: Vatican Voices, Middle East Realities, and the Risk of a Vanishing Christianity

Parolin, speaking on the sidelines of a book presentation dedicated to Pope Leo XIV, framed the current moment as one of dangerous escalation. His message was directed not only at Washington but also at Israel: conflicts must be resolved through diplomacy, not force

Mar 20, 2026 17:03

ZENIT Staff

Pope Leo XIV•Vatican Diplomacy

For the first time, a pope (Leo XIV) will receive the U.S. Medal of Freedom: here’s what you need to know

Organizers have been explicit about this broader interpretation. For them, honoring the pope is not only about recognizing an individual, but about narrating a longer story—one that includes multiple faith traditions and acknowledges the complex path through which religious liberty became a foundational principle in the United States

Mar 17, 2026 17:34

ZENIT Staff

Holy Land•Pope Leo XIV•Vatican Diplomacy

A Phone Call in Times of War: Pope Leo XIV Answers a Call from the President of Palestine

According to the Holy See Press Office, the exchange was explicitly diplomatic. The Pope reiterated the Holy See’s long-standing position: peace must be pursued through political negotiation and diplomacy, anchored in full respect for international law

Mar 17, 2026 17:28

ZENIT Staff

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A diplomatic storm denied: Vatican and Washington push back against claims of Pentagon pressure on the Holy See

Ceasefire on the Brink: Pope Leo XIV, Global Powers and the Moral Battle Over War in the Middle East

Pope Leo XIV “responds” to Trump’s threat regarding Iran’s extinction: here is what he said

Between Kyiv and Jerusalem: Vatican Diplomacy in Full Swing During Holy Week. Pope Leo XIV Speaks with the Ukrainian and Israeli Presidents

French President Emmanuel Macron to Be Received in Audience by Leo XIV

Prague Blocks Vatican Pact: Confession Secrecy and Church Archives at the Heart of Constitutional Clash

Pope Leo XIV Speaks Again About Trump and the War (and It Is Announced That the Pope Will Carry the Cross Throughout the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday)

Holy Land: Cardinal Pizzaballa Says Palm Sunday Mass Ban in Jerusalem Was a Misunderstanding

Trump responds to Pope Leo XIV: I don’t want a ceasefire

A Church Against the Logic of War: Vatican Voices, Middle East Realities, and the Risk of a Vanishing Christianity

For the first time, a pope (Leo XIV) will receive the U.S. Medal of Freedom: here’s what you need to know

A Phone Call in Times of War: Pope Leo XIV Answers a Call from the President of Palestine