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Filipino pilgrims visit papal retreat as Pope Leo urges peace in Middle East
CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy — Pope Leo XIV has urged “all parties” involved in conflicts in the Middle East to “suspend attacks” and “reopen paths of dialogue and diplomacy.”
The pontiff made the remarks after reciting the Angelus on Sunday noon at the papal residence in Castel Gandolfo, where he has spent the summer holidays for nearly a month.
His message came as tensions in the West Bank flared, following deadly clashes in the Palestinian village of Tal, which reportedly killed at least four Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers. Israeli settlers also vandalized and set fire to two mosques in the occupied territory.
Israel has since announced it would intensify military operations.
”From the bottom of my heart, I call on all parties involved to suspend the attacks and to urgently reopen paths of dialogue and diplomacy, so to reach as soon as possible the peace so desired by the whole region,” the pope said.
The United Nations has also called for “urgent action,” with its senior peace process coordinator in the Middle East, Ramiz Alakbarov, urging Israel “must take immediate steps to prevent settler violence, protect Palestinian communities, and ensure that those responsible for attacks are held accountable.”
Filipino pilgrims’ prayer
Pope Leo’s latest Angelus happened alongside the celebration of the Sixth World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly.
He led the Sunday prayer before nearly a thousand tourists and pilgrims, including Filipino Catholics and tourists.
The theme of the occasion was lifted from a verse in the Old testament book of Prophet Isaiah, “I will never forget you” (Isaiah 49:15).
“Let us thank the Lord for the gift that the Elders are to the Church and to society,” the Pope said.
GMA News met Renee Cudia-Manasca, a 63-year-old retired special education teacher who came to Italy with her brother, Edmund, her sister-in-law Mayette, and nephew Christopher.
The retired teacher held tightly a framed photo of their deceased parents Eugenio and Modesta, waving it as the Pope passed through the public square.
”It was the dream of our devoutly Catholic parents to attend the Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica,” she shared.
Meanwhile, other visiting Filipinos only met each other in the queue. Surigao native Leonora Balindua chatted with the Washington-based Perez family. She made sure the family’s youngest child, ten-year-old Sebastian, would be by the fence so he could hand over a pope doll to the pontiff
Later, both Balindua and Sebastian were able to shake Pope Leo’s hand.
When asked what she told the pontiff, Balindua said, “to bless the Philippines.”
“The pope nodded. Ang saya saya ko’t nahawakan ko si Pope [I’m overjoyed I was able to shake his hand],” Balindua told GMA News, while trembling and teary-eyed.
Just beside them were the California-based Filipino-American couple Angel and Donna Tabancay. They came along with their children, as well as Donna’s 82-year-old mother, Lita Garcia.
“It was the right timing to celebrate World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly,” Tabancay said of their visit, and told her mom, “We celebrated it with the Pope!”
Pope’s prayers for wildfire victims
The Pope also expressed his thoughts for the victims of and responders to the wildfires that have been ravaging forests in southwestern France and central Spain.
According to media reports, winds and high temperatures hamper efforts to contain the wildfires, which have displaced more than 300,000 people.
Spain has declared a state of emergency, while France has mobilized its military and army reinforcement to clear off bushes to create fire breaks.
“Faced with the devastating fires that these days have affected various locations in France and Spain, I manifest my closeness and invite everyone to pray for the people involved and for the work of the rescuers,” the Pope said.
The pontiff is expected to return to the Vatican City on July 27. His general audiences at St. Peter’s Square will resume on August 5. — BM, GMA News
