Meeting with Church foundations that assist Eastern Christians, Pope Leo XIV calls for dialogue between culture and history in search for an “unarmed and disarming peace.”
By Devin Watkins
Pope Leo XIV met on Wednesday with a delegation of L’Œuvre d’Orient and the Institut Chrétiens d’Orient, which serve Eastern Christians.
In his address, the Pope recalled that the Latin liturgy celebrated the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed on November 2.
He said the liturgical celebration offered an opportunity to entrust to God’s mercy “the many victims of the armed conflicts that still stain the world with blood.”
The two institutes are hosting a two-day conference focused on the theme: “Peace Put to the Test by the World: Eastern Christians, Conflicts, and Peacebuilding.”
Pope Leo praised the delegation for bringing various academic disciplines into dialogue to explore contemporary conflicts and search for conditions that would lead to a “just and lasting peace, particularly in the Middle East.”
He encouraged participants to work with a humble heart to build peace in the world.
“Dialogue between philosophy and the other disciplines allows us to rediscover the meaning of the words and concepts we use,” he said. “This is probably one of the main challenges of our time.”
Pope Leo expressed his appreciation for an effort at the conference to establish an international network of scholars who will focus their research on peace.
“Dialogue between faith and reason, and between culture and history, is the indispensable path to justice and reconciliation,” he said.
In conclusion, Pope Leo XIV encouraged everyone to sow hope through reflection and action, while remaining aware that the one who sows is not usually the one who reaps the benefits.
“As you reflect on the criteria for a just and lasting peace, especially in the Middle East and Eastern Europe,” said the Pope “you become servants of a peace that is unarmed and disarming, humble and persevering.”
