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Archbishop Hebda speaks to EWTN News in August 2025. | Credit: “EWTN News Nightly”/Screenshot

Jan 13, 2026 / 13:11 pm (CNA).

Archbishop Bernard Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis described a pervasive “heaviness” in the community over federal agents’ deadly shooting of a U.S. citizen.

In his pastoral reflection on Jan. 12, the archbishop said he was on retreat with regional bishops last week when the shooting of Renee Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement official occurred.

“I find myself Googling ‘Minneapolis’ every few hours to learn of the latest developments in a situation that truly tears at the heart,” he wrote, noting that some parishes with large Latino populations are seeing fewer than 50% of usual congregants at recent Masses.

“I hope that you might think about contacting any of our parishes serving immigrant communities to see how you might support them in their ministry,” Hebda wrote.

During the retreat, he said he prayed for consolation for the Good family, wisdom for political leaders, prudence and safety for law enforcement, temperance among protesters, healing for those wounded by political divisions (especially young people), and courage for immigrants living in fear of deportation.

Hebda said he also prayed for parish priests, deacons, educators, and others who are navigating these tensions while striving to “bring the light of the Gospel and the balm of Jesus’ love into these difficult situations.”

After the shooting last week, Hebda in a statement pleaded for “all people of goodwill to join me in prayer for the person who was killed, for their loved ones, and for our community.”

“We continue to be at a time in this country when we need to lower the temperature of rhetoric, stop fear-filled speculation, and start seeing all people as created in the image and likeness of God,” he said.

Good was behind the wheel of an SUV after dropping off her 6-year-old at school when she was killed. Dueling narratives emerged, with the president and Homeland Security secretary saying the ICE officer’s actions were justified against an “act of domestic terrorism,” while Democratic officials said the administration is lying and urged the public to review videos of the shooting themselves.

In his Jan. 12 letter, the prelate noted the “providential” timing of the Church’s psalm response at this past Sunday’s Mass: “The Lord will bless his people with peace” (Psalm 29), adding: “I am confident that the Lord keeps his promises, but I am hoping that he won’t keep us waiting too long. Maybe I should be praying for patience.”

To address the ongoing wounds, the archdiocese hosted Bishop Andrew Cozzens of the Diocese of Crookston on Monday evening for a public presentation titled “A Wounded Church: Finding Peace and Healing,” originally intended to address the shooting that occurred during the all-school Mass at Annunciation Church in August 2025. The event began with a Mass and concluded with Eucharistic adoration.

“How providential that the evening event, planned months ago, would have been scheduled to coincide with this challenging time,” Hebda remarked in his letter. Cozzens also led a morning of recollection for archdiocesan staff on Jan. 13 on the same theme.

The archbishop urged the faithful to support immigrant parishes facing sharp declines in attendance since early December.

“A number of parishioners expressed to me their concerns about how the parishes will be able to continue their excellent ministry and outreach to the needy if Mass attendance (and offertory) remains low,” he wrote. “I am confident that it would be a shot in the arm for them if you could join them some weekend.”

Hebda also requested continued prayers for Father Greg Schaffer, an archdiocesan priest serving at a mission parish in Venezuela. Amid heightened dangers following the Trump administration’s military operation that led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro on Jan. 3, the U.S. State Department has warned of risks for Americans, prompting the archbishop to ask for prayers for Schaffer.

Daniel Payne contributed to this story.

Angola is one of the African countries Pope Leo XIV plans to visit in what will be his first pastoral trip to the continent as Pontiff. | Credit: Vatican Media/Catholic Archdiocese of Luanda

Jan 13, 2026 / 12:41 pm (CNA).

Angola is one of the countries Pope Leo XIV plans to visit in what will be his first pastoral trip to the continent of Africa as pontiff, the apostolic nuncio in the southern African nation has announced.

Addressing journalists during a press conference on Tuesday, Archbishop Kryspin Witold Dubiel confirmed that the Holy Father had accepted invitations from both the Catholic bishops of Angola and the country’s President João Lourenço, adding that the timelines and itinerary of the visit and program are still being finalized.

“At this moment, we are preparing the plan and program for Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Africa. We do not yet have details on the exact date or program, but these will be communicated as soon as they are defined,” Dubiel said.

The native of Poland’s Diocese of Przemyśl invited all Angolan citizens to prepare for this significant event.

“I hope that the Holy Father’s visit will be an opportunity to rediscover the values that have shaped the Angolan people and to share these values with the diverse communities that live and work around the world,” said the Vatican diplomat in Angola, who also represents the Holy Father in São Tomé and Príncipe.

Also speaking at the press conference was the president of the Bishops’ Conference of Angola and São Tomé and Príncipe, who called upon Angolans to participate in the committees that will be established to prepare for the papal visit.

“Each of these committees should give their best in the preparation, promotion, and realization of all tasks assigned,” Archbishop José Manuel Imbamba of Angola’s Saurimo Archdiocese said.

Imbamba thanked Pope Leo XIV for accepting the invitation to visit Angola.

Archbishop Filomeno do Nascimento Vieira Dias of Angola’s Archdiocese of Luanda described the planned papal trip as a “moment of great human and spiritual comfort,” occurring during a special period in the history of Christianity and in the year marking the “grand jubilee of Luanda — 450 years as a city, 450 years celebrating the faith.”

Dias emphasized that the visit places Angola on the path of evangelization and universality.

He went on to thank the Angolan government for “opening the doors” and for accepting to collaborate with faith-based leaders to facilitate the papal visit.

In December 2025, Pope Leo XIV reportedly indicated that he would visit Africa in 2026, naming Algeria as a possible initial destination. Angola, Equatorial Guinea, and Cameroon were also mentioned as potential stops.

Pope Leo is the first pontiff in modern history with firsthand knowledge of Africa. Unlike his predecessors, he has already been to eastern, western, southern, northern, and central Africa in person.

As he began his papacy following his May 2025 election, the American-born member of the Order of St. Augustine had already visited Kenya at least half a dozen times, the regional vicar of the order in the east African nation told ACI Africa — the last visit to the country having taken place in December 2024.

In a May 12, 2025, interview, Father Robert Karanja Ireri, superior of the Order of St. Augustine in Kenya, recalled that Pope Leo XIV had visited the neighboring Tanzania, confirming the country’s Daily News report that he had visited the East African nation multiple times.

Karanja also confirmed that Pope Leo XIV visited Algeria in North Africa.

Some members of the Augustinian Sisters of the Mercy of Jesus in South Africa recalled their interaction with Pope Leo XIV, then Father Robert Francis Prevost, when he visited the southern African nation.

According to the Nigeria Catholic Network’s May 10 report, Pope Leo would not be “a stranger to Nigeria, as records show that he has visited the country on at least nine occasions between 2001 and 2016.”

In his capacity as Augustinian prior general, Prevost presided over the inauguration of the Augustinian University in the capital city of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kinshasa, in 2009.

This story was first published by ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, and has been adapted by CNA.

Bishop Stanislav Přibyl of Litoměřice celebrates Mass with Bishop Wolfgang Ipolt of Görlitz, Germany, and other clergy at the Basilica of Mary, Help of Christians in Filipov, Czech Republic, on Jan. 13, 2025, during the annual pilgrimage commemorating the 1866 healing of Magdalena Kade. | Credit: Lubomír Holý/Člověk a víra

Jan 13, 2026 / 12:11 pm (CNA).

Eighty years after the expulsion of ethnic Germans from Czechoslovakia, a Czech bishop has declared a local Year of Reconciliation to address wounds that remain from World War II and its aftermath.

Bishop Stanislav Přibyl of Litoměřice announced the initiative in a pastoral letter dated Dec. 31, 2025, following the end of the Jubilee of Hope on Jan. 6. The year marks two anniversaries on Jan. 13: the 1866 healing of Magdalena Kade and the 1946 founding of Ackermann-Gemeinde, a Catholic reconciliation group established by expelled Germans.

“The end of World War II brought not just joy and relief but also reckoning with people and the past,” Přibyl wrote in his letter. The war’s aftermath caused displacement and resettlement of populations across Central Europe, leaving lasting scars on the region.

After Nazi Germany annexed the Sudetenland in 1938 and established the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, the majority-German region became part of the Reich. Following Germany’s defeat, Czechoslovakia expelled approximately 3 million ethnic Germans between 1945 and 1946, primarily from the Sudetenland region that now forms part of the Diocese of Litoměřice.

The bishop acknowledged that the question of whether the expulsions were justified remains a matter for historical debate. However, the displacement remains visible in demolished houses without owners and in churches that are abandoned or slowly being rebuilt.

Confronting collective guilt

The bishop emphasized that collective guilt, anger, and desire for revenge accompanied the displacement, along with “the sudden acquisition of property without work and closer ties to the place.” Some departing Germans were robbed, raped, or humiliated, a few committed suicide, and there were several massacres, Přibyl wrote.

Following a meeting of the diocese’s priests’ council in November, Přibyl declared the local jubilee of forgiveness and reconciliation. Monthly gatherings will take place in locations where the deportation was particularly cruel, including Terezín (Theresienstadt), which hosted a Nazi transit camp during World War II.

The events will include Christian-Jewish prayer services and Masses of reconciliation. The bishop hopes for “an ecumenical and interfaith spirit” at these gatherings, welcoming Christians, Jews, and Heimatsleute — Germans with deep historical ties to the region.

The press office of the Diocese of Litoměřice told CNA that the jubilee is local and invitations were not sent out broadly. “This is not politics or a revision of history, although historians partake in the preparation,” the press office said.

Heinrich Rüdiger, military attaché from the German embassy to the Czech Republic, joined the first event at Filipov on Jan. 13 marking the anniversary of the healing miracle.

Ackermann-Gemeinde’s reconciliation work

The Ackermann-Gemeinde was founded in Munich on Jan. 13, 1946 — the feast day of the Marian apparition at Filipov — by expelled Sudeten German Catholics who sought reconciliation with the Czech people despite their own suffering. The organization took its name from “Der Ackermann aus Böhmen” (“The Plowman from Bohemia”), a medieval German literary work from Bohemia symbolizing the deep cultural roots of Germans in the region.

The organization has worked for decades on cross-border partnerships, supporting the restoration of damaged churches and cemeteries in the Czech Republic and advocating for human rights. Since 1991, Ackermann-Gemeinde has maintained an office in Prague.

Filipov shrine

Filipov, a Marian sanctuary in northern Bohemia near the German border, is sometimes called “the Czech Lourdes.” On Jan. 13, 1866, Magdalena Kade, bedridden with severe illnesses, received a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who told her: “My daughter, now you are healed.”

Kade immediately recovered, and Bishop Augustin Pavel Wahala of Litoměřice initiated a commission that recognized the healing and its supernatural character. Between 1870 and 1885, a neo-Romanesque church was built at the site, which Pope Leo XIII elevated to a minor basilica and dedicated to Mary, Help of Christians.

The Redemptorist order took custody of the shrine in 1884 and continues to care for pilgrims. Přibyl is himself a Redemptorist.

Opening old wounds to heal

“You might think that we should stop this reconciliation, as it has been 80 years, it is like taking corpses out of graves,” the bishop wrote in his letter. However, he argued that old wounds must be opened to be healed.

The reconciliation effort “may not be definitive, but an important step towards the healing process that our region still needs so much,” the bishop said. He noted that in some places, reconciliation is only beginning.

“Although we did not do wrong to our neighbors 80 years ago, we still live from the life-giving movement of forgiveness, as we pray in the prayer that Our Lord Jesus Christ himself taught us: ‘Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us,’” Přibyl wrote.

The bishop concluded: “Prejudices survive and the reluctance to talk about them or to admit that we have all sinned is still here.”

The reconciliation initiative follows recent Czech-Polish-German efforts to address the war’s legacy. In November 2025, Polish and German bishops signed a new declaration in Wrocław marking the 60th anniversary of historic 1965 reconciliation letters.

Bishops of Panama at a Mass during their 224th ordinary assembly. | Credit: Panamanian Bishops’ Conference

Jan 12, 2026 / 18:41 pm (CNA).

The Catholic bishops in Panama addressed the “urgent need to give ourselves a new constitution” in a message following the 224th ordinary assembly of bishops, which took place this week.

“It’s not just a matter of reforming texts but about renewing consensus, strengthening democratic institutions, guaranteeing social justice, and ensuring that the country’s legal framework is in line with the times we live in and those to come,” the prelates stated after their assembly, which was held from Jan. 5–8.

“Embracing the legacy of Jan. 9 [1964] requires a clear-sighted understanding of the challenges of the present time. Among them is the urgent need to give ourselves a new constitution that responds realistically and with a vision for the future to the aspirations of the Panamanian people,” the prelates stated.

On Jan. 9, 1964, a group of Panamanian students attempted to raise the Panamanian flag in the Panama Canal Zone, then under U.S. control, which sparked violent clashes with U.S. troops, leaving 21 dead and leading to the rupture of diplomatic relations. This event paved the way for the negotiations that ultimately returned control of the canal to Panama.

In their statement, the bishops noted that the sacrifice of these young people “reminds us that sovereignty is not inherited passively but is defended with conviction, unity, and generous dedication.”

Poverty that cries out to heaven

“The poor cannot wait. These are not just numbers or statistics; they are people with faces and stories. They are children, elderly people, women, young people, and entire communities whose dignity is violated every day. And we cannot remain indifferent either,” the bishops stated.

The bishops also emphasized the importance of caring for the environment and reaffirmed their “pastoral support for our brothers and sisters in Río Indio, and for those who must make decisions, so that discernment and decisions guarantee a decent life and secure land, without exclusions or impositions.”

In that area of ​​the country, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP by its Spanish acronym) is developing a large project to build a new reservoir to ensure water for the canal, which has generated opposition from local communities that will be flooded and relocated. The ACP promises compensation and a better standard of living, however.

The Panamanian bishops also expressed their “deep concern over the increase in violence that is becoming normalized in daily life” and emphasized that “no form of violence is acceptable, because it denies the dignity of the human person, created in the image and likeness of God, and is radically opposed to the Gospel of life and peace.”

They urged “that the justice system act responsibly and effectively, guaranteeing the real protection of victims and unrestricted respect for life.”

Solidarity with Venezuela

The bishops reiterated their “closeness and solidarity with the Church and the Venezuelan people. You are not alone. And in communion with the successor of Peter, we affirm that ‘the good of the beloved Venezuelan people must prevail above any other consideration and lead to overcoming violence and embarking on paths of justice and peace, guaranteeing the country’s sovereignty, ensuring the rule of law enshrined in the constitution, and respecting the human and civil rights of all.”

“We unite in prayer so that the Lord may grant that nation the gift of reconciliation, harmony, and a future of cooperation, stability, and peace,” they emphasized.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City, president of the United States Conference of Catholic bishops, meets with President Donald Trump on Jan. 12, 2026. | Credit: Archdiocese of Oklahoma City

Jan 12, 2026 / 18:07 pm (CNA).

Archbishop Paul Coakley and President Donald Trump met on Jan. 12 to discuss areas of “mutual concern,” which likely included topics related to immigration enforcement and Venezuela’s sovereignty.

The archbishop of Oklahoma City, Coakley, who was elected president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in November 2025, visited with Trump at the White House on Monday.

Chieko Noguchi, USCCB spokesperson, said in a statement after the meeting: “Archbishop Coakley had the opportunity for introductory meetings with President Trump, Vice President [JD] Vance, and other administration officials, in which they discussed areas of mutual concern, as well as areas for further dialogue. Archbishop Coakley is grateful for the engagement and looks forward to ongoing discussions.”

The meeting was closed to the press, but White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told EWTN News correspondent Owen Jensen she would ask the president about providing a readout of the meeting.

Pope Leo XIV has said immigrants must be treated with dignity and encouraged all people in the United States to heed the U.S. bishops’ message on immigration.

Coakley, appearing on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” on Dec. 21, 2025, predicted immigration would be a discussion topic with Trump and said: “I think we have opportunities to work together. We have opportunities to speak frankly with one another.”

After U.S. military action to capture Venezuela’s president, the pope on Jan. 4 called for full respect for Venezuela’s national sovereignty and for the human and civil rights of its people.

Earlier in the day on Jan. 12, Pope Leo XIV met with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado at the Vatican.

St. Francis of Assisi. | Credit: Paolo Gallo/Shutterstock

Jan 12, 2026 / 17:21 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV has proclaimed a “Special Year of St. Francis” to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the saint’s death. During this time of grace, which will extend until January 2027, the faithful are granted the opportunity to obtain a plenary indulgence.

This Franciscan Jubilee Year, considered a gift for the entire Church and an occasion for authentic spiritual renewal, was inaugurated on Jan. 10 with a decree issued by the Apostolic Penitentiary of the Holy See.

Until Jan. 10 of next year, the faithful can obtain this grace under the usual conditions — sacramental confession, Communion, and prayer for the intentions of the pope — by making a pilgrimage to any Franciscan conventual church or place of worship dedicated to St. Francis anywhere in the world.

Furthermore, the elderly, the sick, and those who, for serious reasons, cannot leave their homes can obtain the plenary indulgence by spiritually joining in the jubilee celebrations and offering their prayers, pains, or sufferings to God.

In a world where “the virtual takes over the real, disagreements and social violence are part of everyday life, and peace becomes more insecure and distant every day, this Year of St. Francis spurs all of us, each according to our possibilities, to imitate the poor man of Assisi, to form ourselves as far as possible on the model of Christ,” the decree states.

For the Order of Friars Minor, this time is also an opportunity for the faithful to become “models of holiness of life and constant witnesses of peace.”

On the occasion of this anniversary, Pope Leo XIV addressed a letter to the ministers general of the Franciscan Family Conference in which he emphasized that “in this era, marked by so many seemingly endless wars, by internal and social divisions that create distrust and fear, he continues to speak. Not because he offers technical solutions, but because his life points to the authentic source of peace.”

In this regard, he highlighted that St. Francis reminds us that “peace with God, peace among people, and peace with creation are inseparable dimensions of a single call to universal reconciliation.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Archbishop Georg Gänswein speaks at an event hosted by the Catholic magazine Kelionė at the Lithuanian National Library in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Jan. 7, 2026. | Credit: L. Macevicienes/Zurnalaskelione.lt

Jan 11, 2026 / 10:32 am (CNA).

Archbishop Georg Gänswein, the apostolic nuncio to the Baltic states and longtime personal secretary to Pope Benedict XVI, said he now prays not for but to the late pontiff, asking for his intercession, and expressed hope the beatification cause will open soon.

Speaking at an event hosted by the Catholic magazine Kelionė at the Lithuanian National Library on Jan. 7, Gänswein offered personal reflections on his new diplomatic mission, the celebration of Christmas in Lithuania, and his decades-long collaboration with Joseph Ratzinger.

“I come from the most beautiful part of Germany, but I have lived in Rome for most of my life,” Gänswein said. “As a bonus and thanks for all my work, I received an assignment to work in the Baltic states,” he said jovially.

Asked about differences between Christmas in Rome and in the Baltic region, the archbishop answered with characteristic humor: “I celebrated Christmas in Rome for 28 years, and in Vilnius for two. The first difference is the cold.” He added that Lithuania’s seasonal displays left a strong impression, drawing attention to “very beautiful Christmas decorations,” and saying the Christmas trees “are very beautiful, maybe even more beautiful than in St. Peter’s Square, in the Vatican.”

Gänswein also expressed gratitude that the celebration of Christ’s birth in Lithuania is not merely cultural or superficial. He said he has sensed a reverence in which “its depth is felt here,” pointing to a faith that remains attentive to the mystery at the heart of the season.

During the conversation, the nuncio returned to the influence of Benedict XVI, describing his years beside Ratzinger as a gift of divine providence.

“All the years of cooperation together have left an indelible experience,” he said. “It was not only intellectual and theological formation, but also formation of the heart, soul, and everything that we can call life.”

Gänswein recalled to the audience that his first encounter with Ratzinger came when he was still a young seminarian, reading the future pope’s articles and books while Ratzinger was a professor in Germany. “I tried to read and study all of his writings,” he said, explaining that he came to see Ratzinger not only as a theologian and academic, but as “a man full of faith and intelligence."

After his priestly ordination in 1984, Gänswein served as an assistant parish priest before continuing his studies. He later completed doctoral work and eventually arrived in Rome, where he first met Ratzinger while the cardinal was serving as prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. Gänswein said Ratzinger invited him into collaboration, an invitation he regards as mysterious and grace filled.

“What did he call me for? I don’t know,” he said, “but I see it as a great gift of Providence.” In 2003, he added, he became Ratzinger’s personal secretary.

Speaking of Benedict XVI after the late pope’s death, Gänswein made a striking remark about prayer and spiritual closeness: “And now, when Pope Benedict XVI has departed to be with the Lord, I notice that I do not pray so much for him, but to him, asking for his help.” He said there were moments, including during his service in the Baltics, when he found himself asking for Benedict’s intercession.

At the same time, he stressed the Church’s caution regarding sainthood causes. “The Church is a very wise and very prudent mother,” he said, noting that in beatification causes she is “twice wise and twice prudent,” and that time must pass to discern whether public esteem reflects genuine holiness rather than passing fame.

In a December 2025 interview with German Catholic television network K-TV, Gänswein said, “Personally, I have great hopes that this process will be opened.” The interview aired shortly before a private audience he held with Pope Leo XIV during a discreet mid-December visit to Rome.

The Kelionė gathering also featured talks from other invited speakers. Educator Vytautas Toleikis, who works as a moral education teacher at Vilnius St. Christopher Gymnasium, is the founder of the informal education group “Walkers.” He described taking students on weekly walks around Vilnius to encounter people he personally admires. He said the goal is to broaden students’ horizons through lived encounters with kindness and human warmth, adding that these meetings often surprise him as much as they do the young people.

Singer Sasha Song, who represented Lithuania at the 2009 Eurovision, shared a brief personal testimony about his struggle with addiction and the transformation he experienced after rehabilitation. He said the experience taught him to value life differently, describing his current state as one marked by gratitude and a renewed sense of happiness.

Prof. Robertas Badaras, a toxicologist with four decades of experience, reflected on how substance abuse has changed since the Soviet period. He noted that while alcohol once dominated, society now confronts an expanding array of substances, including a vast number of hallucinogens and stimulants.

Actress Justė Liaugaudė, representing the “Red Noses Clown Doctors,” spoke about offering emotional support to patients of all ages, especially those who struggle to find joy amid illness. She described how the organization’s presence has expanded in clinical settings, including, she said, being the only non-medical personnel permitted to accompany children into operating rooms — a reminder that compassion can reach where words and medicine sometimes cannot.

For Gänswein, however, the evening’s most enduring note returned to what he called the quiet, lifelong schooling he received at Benedict’s side, a formation not only of the mind, but of the whole person and the conviction that gratitude, faith, and truth are never merely ideas, but realities meant to be lived.

Pope Leo XIV baptizes a child in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, January 11, 2026. / Vatican Media

Vatican City, Jan 11, 2026 / 09:00 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV baptized 20 infants, the children of Vatican employees, during Mass in the Sistine Chapel on Sunday for the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

In his homily, the pope urged parents to see faith as essential for their children’s lives, comparing it to the basic care no newborn can do without.

“When we know that something good is essential, we immediately seek it for those we love,” he said. “Who among us, in fact, would leave newborns without clothes or without nourishment, waiting for them to choose when they are grown how to dress and what to eat?”

“Dear friends, if food and clothing are necessary to live, faith is more than necessary, because with God life finds salvation,” the pope said.

Baptism as God’s closeness

Reflecting on the Gospel account of Jesus’ baptism, Leo said the Lord chooses to be found where people least expect him — “the Holy One among sinners” — drawing near without keeping distance. He pointed to Jesus’ reply to John the Baptist: “Let it be so now, for it is proper for us to fulfill all righteousness,” explaining that God’s “righteousness” is his saving action, by which the Father makes humanity righteous through Christ.

The pope described Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan as a sign renewed with deeper meaning — “death and resurrection, forgiveness and communion” — and said the sacrament celebrated for the infants is rooted in God’s love.

“The children you now hold in your arms are transformed into new creatures,” Leo told parents. “Just as from you, their parents, they have received life, so now they receive the meaning for living it: faith.”

A word to mothers and fathers

Leo emphasized the role of parents as the first witnesses and educators of faith, saying God’s provident love becomes visible on earth through mothers and fathers who ask for faith for their children.

He also noted the changing seasons of family life: “Certainly, the day will come when they will become heavy to hold in your arms; and the day will also come when they will be the ones to support you.”

The pope prayed that the sacrament would strengthen families in lasting love: “May baptism, which unites us in the one family of the Church, sanctify all your families at all times, giving strength and constancy to the affection that unites you.”

The signs of baptism

Turning to the rites themselves, Leo explained the meaning of baptism’s symbols: “The water of the font is the washing in the Spirit, which purifies from every sin; the white garment is the new robe that God the Father gives us for the eternal feast of his Kingdom; the candle lit from the paschal candle is the light of the risen Christ, which illumines our path.”

“I wish you to continue it with joy throughout the year that has just begun and for your whole life, certain that the Lord will always accompany your steps,” he said.

The baptism of children of Vatican employees is a tradition begun in 1981 by St. John Paul II. The first ceremonies were held in the Pauline Chapel, and since 1983 the annual celebration has taken place in the Sistine Chapel.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Pope Leo XIV greets pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican for the recitation of the Angelus on Jan. 11, 2026. / Vatican Media

Vatican City, Jan 11, 2026 / 08:25 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Sunday lamented escalating violence in Iran and Syria and renewed his appeal for peace in Ukraine, while also offering a special blessing for children receiving baptism and praying for those born into “difficult circumstances.”

Speaking after the Angelus on Jan. 11, the pope said: “My thoughts turn to the situation currently unfolding in the Middle East, especially in Iran and Syria, where ongoing tensions continue to claim many lives.” He added: “I hope and pray that dialogue and peace may be patiently nurtured in pursuit of the common good of the whole of society.”

The pope’s remarks came amid unrest in Tehran, where anti-government protests that began about two weeks ago have left more than 70 people dead, according to human rights organizations.

He also pointed to renewed fighting in Syria, where international media reports say clashes have erupted in Aleppo between the interim government’s army and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces over control of neighborhoods in the city center. At least 14 civilians have been killed, with dozens injured and tens of thousands displaced, according to those reports.

Turning to the war in Ukraine, Leo warned of the mounting toll of Russian strikes as winter intensifies.

“In Ukraine, new attacks – particularly severe ones aimed at energy infrastructure as the cold weather grows harsher – are taking a heavy toll on the civilian population,” he said. “I pray for those who suffer and renew my appeal for an end to the violence and for renewed efforts to achieve peace.”

Recent attacks have left more than one million homes without water or heat in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region.

Earlier in the day, the pope celebrated Mass for the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord and baptized 20 newborns, the children of Vatican employees, in the Sistine Chapel. After the Angelus, he said he wanted to extend his blessing “to all children who have received or will receive Baptism during these days – in Rome and throughout the world – entrusting them to the maternal care of the Virgin Mary.”

He added: “In a particular way, I pray for children born into difficult circumstances, whether due to health conditions or external dangers. May the grace of Baptism, which unites them to the Paschal Mystery of Christ, bear fruit in their lives and in the lives of their families.”

During his Angelus reflection, Leo spoke about the meaning of Christ’s baptism and how the sacrament of baptism makes believers “children of God through the power of his Spirit of life,” encouraging the faithful to remember “the great gift we have received” and to bear witness to it “with joy and authenticity.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.