Pope Leo XIV urged Christians in the Middle East and Eastern Europe to continue working for peace in regions where Christian persecution persists.
The pontiff held a private audience on Wednesday with a delegation from L'Œuvre d'Orient and the Institut Chrétiens d'Orient (ICO), which will host a conference in Rome on peace in the Middle East from Nov. 5–6. L'Œuvre d'Orient is a prominent French nonprofit that has supported persecuted Christians in these regions since 1856.
In his address, delivered in French, Leo reflected on the conference's theme of peace-building and said that interdisciplinary dialogue remains crucial to achieving reconciliation.
"Dialogue between faith and reason, culture and history is the indispensable path to justice and reconciliation," Leo said. "Dialogue between philosophy and other disciplines makes it possible to rediscover the meaning of the words and concepts that are used, which is probably one of the principal challenges of our time."
Christian persecution worldwide, including in much of the Holy Land, continues to rise. According to Aid to the Church in Need's 2024–2026 report, 220 million Christians face persecution, and 413 million people live in countries where religious freedom remains under threat.
Amid ongoing hostility toward Christians in these regions, Leo encouraged them to continue for "peace that is unarmed and disarming."
"Thus, by reflecting on the criteria of a just and enduring peace, especially in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, you become servants of a peace that is unarmed and disarming, humble and persevering," the pope said.
"Therefore, be sowers of hope through your reflection and your action, keeping the humility taught by the Gospel: 'One is the sower, another the reaper' (Jn 4:37)."
