The Cross

Pope Leo XIV says God ‘does not listen’ to prayers of those who wage war #Catholic Pope Leo XIV on Palm Sunday sharply condemned war and the use of religion to justify violence, saying during Mass in St. Peter’s Square that God “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war.”At the start of Holy Week, the pope tied the Church’s contemplation of Christ’s Passion to the suffering of people caught in today’s conflicts, especially Christians in the Middle East.In his Palm Sunday homily, Leo repeatedly presented Christ as the “King of Peace,” contrasting Jesus’ meekness with the violence surrounding him as he entered into his Passion.“We turn our gaze to Jesus, who reveals himself as King of Peace, even as war looms abounds him,” the pope said. “He remains steadfast in meekness, while others are stirring up violence.”Leo said Christ “did not arm himself, or defend himself, or fight any war” but instead “revealed the gentle face of God, who always rejects violence.”“Rather than saving himself, he allowed himself to be nailed to the cross, embracing every cross borne in every time and place throughout human history,” the pope said.The pope then issued one of the strongest lines of his homily, rejecting any attempt to invoke God in support of armed conflict.“Brothers and sisters, this is our God: Jesus, King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war,” Leo said. “He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them, saying: ‘Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: your hands are full of blood.’”The Palm Sunday liturgy, which opened Holy Week, began with the traditional procession in St. Peter’s Square with cardinals, bishops, priests, religious, and thousands of faithful carrying palms and olive branches.In his homily, Leo reflected on Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on a donkey rather than a war horse, saying the moment fulfilled the prophecy of a king who would “command peace to the nations.”Recalling the Gospel account of Peter drawing a sword to defend Jesus, Leo cited Christ’s rebuke: “Put your sword back into its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.”The pope said that in the crucified Christ “we can see a crucified humanity.”“In his wounds, we see the hurts of so many women and men today,” he said. “Above all, we hear the painful groans of all those who are oppressed by violence and are victims of war.”“Christ, King of Peace, cries out again from his cross: God is love! Have mercy! Lay down your weapons! Remember that you are brothers and sisters!”Following the Mass, Leo returned to the theme of war during the Angelus, praying in particular for Christians in the Middle East who have been prevented in some places from fully taking part in Holy Week rites.“At the beginning of Holy Week, our prayers are more than ever with the Christians of the Middle East, who are suffering the consequences of a brutal conflict and, in many cases, are unable to observe fully the liturgies of these holy days,” he said.“Just as the Church contemplates the mystery of the Lord’s Passion, we cannot forget those who today are truly sharing in his suffering. Their ordeal challenges all our consciences.”The pope added: “Let us raise our prayer to the Prince of Peace that he may sustain the peoples wounded by war and open concrete paths to reconciliation and peace.”Leo also remembered “the maritime workers who have fallen victim to the conflict,” adding: “I pray for the deceased, the wounded and their families. Land, sky and sea were all created for life and peace!”He further called attention to migrants who died in the Mediterranean, saying: “Let us also pray for all the migrants who have died at sea, especially those who lost their lives in recent days off the coast of Crete.”Near the end of his homily, the pope entrusted his plea for peace to the intercession of Mary, quoting the Servant of God Bishop Tonino Bello and praying that “the tears of all the victims of violence and pain will soon be dried up.”He concluded the Angelus by asking the Virgin Mary to accompany the faithful through the days ahead.“May she guide us during these holy days, so that we may follow Jesus, our Savior, with faith and love,” he said.This story was first published in two parts by ACI Prensa, EWTN News’ Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Pope Leo XIV says God ‘does not listen’ to prayers of those who wage war #Catholic Pope Leo XIV on Palm Sunday sharply condemned war and the use of religion to justify violence, saying during Mass in St. Peter’s Square that God “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war.”At the start of Holy Week, the pope tied the Church’s contemplation of Christ’s Passion to the suffering of people caught in today’s conflicts, especially Christians in the Middle East.In his Palm Sunday homily, Leo repeatedly presented Christ as the “King of Peace,” contrasting Jesus’ meekness with the violence surrounding him as he entered into his Passion.“We turn our gaze to Jesus, who reveals himself as King of Peace, even as war looms abounds him,” the pope said. “He remains steadfast in meekness, while others are stirring up violence.”Leo said Christ “did not arm himself, or defend himself, or fight any war” but instead “revealed the gentle face of God, who always rejects violence.”“Rather than saving himself, he allowed himself to be nailed to the cross, embracing every cross borne in every time and place throughout human history,” the pope said.The pope then issued one of the strongest lines of his homily, rejecting any attempt to invoke God in support of armed conflict.“Brothers and sisters, this is our God: Jesus, King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war,” Leo said. “He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them, saying: ‘Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: your hands are full of blood.’”The Palm Sunday liturgy, which opened Holy Week, began with the traditional procession in St. Peter’s Square with cardinals, bishops, priests, religious, and thousands of faithful carrying palms and olive branches.In his homily, Leo reflected on Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on a donkey rather than a war horse, saying the moment fulfilled the prophecy of a king who would “command peace to the nations.”Recalling the Gospel account of Peter drawing a sword to defend Jesus, Leo cited Christ’s rebuke: “Put your sword back into its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.”The pope said that in the crucified Christ “we can see a crucified humanity.”“In his wounds, we see the hurts of so many women and men today,” he said. “Above all, we hear the painful groans of all those who are oppressed by violence and are victims of war.”“Christ, King of Peace, cries out again from his cross: God is love! Have mercy! Lay down your weapons! Remember that you are brothers and sisters!”Following the Mass, Leo returned to the theme of war during the Angelus, praying in particular for Christians in the Middle East who have been prevented in some places from fully taking part in Holy Week rites.“At the beginning of Holy Week, our prayers are more than ever with the Christians of the Middle East, who are suffering the consequences of a brutal conflict and, in many cases, are unable to observe fully the liturgies of these holy days,” he said.“Just as the Church contemplates the mystery of the Lord’s Passion, we cannot forget those who today are truly sharing in his suffering. Their ordeal challenges all our consciences.”The pope added: “Let us raise our prayer to the Prince of Peace that he may sustain the peoples wounded by war and open concrete paths to reconciliation and peace.”Leo also remembered “the maritime workers who have fallen victim to the conflict,” adding: “I pray for the deceased, the wounded and their families. Land, sky and sea were all created for life and peace!”He further called attention to migrants who died in the Mediterranean, saying: “Let us also pray for all the migrants who have died at sea, especially those who lost their lives in recent days off the coast of Crete.”Near the end of his homily, the pope entrusted his plea for peace to the intercession of Mary, quoting the Servant of God Bishop Tonino Bello and praying that “the tears of all the victims of violence and pain will soon be dried up.”He concluded the Angelus by asking the Virgin Mary to accompany the faithful through the days ahead.“May she guide us during these holy days, so that we may follow Jesus, our Savior, with faith and love,” he said.This story was first published in two parts by ACI Prensa, EWTN News’ Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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At Palm Sunday Mass and the Angelus following it, the pope prayed for Middle East Christians, victims of war, and migrants who died at sea off Crete.

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American Catholics launch crowdfunding effort to gift Pope Leo XIV papal tiara #Catholic A newly established nonprofit launched a crowdfunding effort to construct a papal tiara that will contain Catholic and American symbolism, with the plan to offer it to Pope Leo XIV as a gift from American Catholics for the first pontiff from the United States.“Historically, the majority of papal tiaras are gifts, usually from the home diocese of the pope or from religious [communities] they may be affiliated with,” Isaac Smith, a convert to Catholicism and the founder of Amici Vaticani, told EWTN News.Smith said he was motivated to launch the project to provide Leo with a papal tiara based on the desire for “us, as Americans, to continue that tradition.” He said the first American pope is “such a historical milestone” for Catholicism in the United States.The history of papal crowns dates back to at least the eighth century with the word “tiara” first used in the 12th century. A second crown was added to the tiara in the 13th century to symbolize that the pope holds authority in both spiritual and temporal matters.A three-crown tiara first appeared in the 14th century. One interpretation of the three crowns is that they represent the threefold office of Christ: priest, prophet, and king. Another suggests it represents the militant, the suffering, and the triumphant Church.The proposed tiara commissioned by Amici Vaticani maintains the 14th-century tradition of three crowns. The tiara will be constructed with sterling silver and the crowns will be gold-plated.Because the gift is meant to honor Leo’s American heritage, the tiara will have red, white, and blue stones, which represent the colors of the American flag. It will incorporate other American symbols: oak leaves, representing the national tree; and corn stalks, representing the national crop.Some of the symbols included in the tiara have dual meanings relevant to both the papacy and the United States. It will incorporate roses, which is a symbol of the Virgin Mary and the national flower; and it will incorporate olives, which is a symbol of the pontiff’s commitment to peace and appears on the Great Seal of the United States.A buttony cross will sit atop the crown as a symbol of American Catholicism. The cross is used in the coat of arms for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, the country’s first Catholic diocese, and is featured on the flag of Maryland, which is the location of the first English Catholic colonies.The design, Smith explained, is meant to be “elegant and traditional” to honor the office of the papacy but is also meant to “incorporate distinctively American elements” to honor the pope’s American heritage. Maltese jeweler Gabriel Farrugia works on a project. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Gabriel Farrugia Smith said he hopes to fund the project through small donations from the American Catholic faithful so the pontiff can see “this was a group effort” and a gift from Catholics in his home country. This project, he said, provides “a tangible way for people to connect with the successor of Peter.”He also said he plans to compile the names of every person who donates more than $20 into a book, which would be presented to the Holy Father along with the crown and would say on the cover: “Holy Father, please pray for these people.”Smith said his intention is that the tiara can “hopefully [be] put on display in a place of honor” after it is constructed “and presented to the pope when he visits.” When Leo met Vice President JD Vance, the pontiff said he would travel to the United States at some point, although the Holy Father does not have any specific publicly announced plans to visit as of yet.The tiara will be constructed by a Maltese jeweler and artist named Gabriel Farrugia, who has a background in creating religious art, including an Our Lady of Fátima crown, which was used in a coronation ceremony in Guardamangia, Malta. He has also been commissioned by Catholic churches for artistic projects.“Making sacred art is a type of thanksgiving to the One who created us,” Farrugia told EWTN News.“For the God that created us and gave us life, I think we should give him something,” he said, adding that sacred art provides “something that will be left there for ages” and something for “people to admire, to enjoy, and to reflect [upon].”The construction of the crown has not yet begun, as Amici Vaticani is still in the early stages of the crowdfunding effort.Amici Vaticani was launched in 2025 for the purpose of constructing the tiara. According to its website, the nonprofit also seeks to build up “the awakening of a Catholic spirit in the United States.”“Our country, once defined by its Protestant heritage, is now witnessing a boon of conversions,” the website notes. “Men and women rediscovering the depth, beauty, and authority of the Catholic faith.”
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American Catholics launch crowdfunding effort to gift Pope Leo XIV papal tiara #Catholic A newly established nonprofit launched a crowdfunding effort to construct a papal tiara that will contain Catholic and American symbolism, with the plan to offer it to Pope Leo XIV as a gift from American Catholics for the first pontiff from the United States.“Historically, the majority of papal tiaras are gifts, usually from the home diocese of the pope or from religious [communities] they may be affiliated with,” Isaac Smith, a convert to Catholicism and the founder of Amici Vaticani, told EWTN News.Smith said he was motivated to launch the project to provide Leo with a papal tiara based on the desire for “us, as Americans, to continue that tradition.” He said the first American pope is “such a historical milestone” for Catholicism in the United States.The history of papal crowns dates back to at least the eighth century with the word “tiara” first used in the 12th century. A second crown was added to the tiara in the 13th century to symbolize that the pope holds authority in both spiritual and temporal matters.A three-crown tiara first appeared in the 14th century. One interpretation of the three crowns is that they represent the threefold office of Christ: priest, prophet, and king. Another suggests it represents the militant, the suffering, and the triumphant Church.The proposed tiara commissioned by Amici Vaticani maintains the 14th-century tradition of three crowns. The tiara will be constructed with sterling silver and the crowns will be gold-plated.Because the gift is meant to honor Leo’s American heritage, the tiara will have red, white, and blue stones, which represent the colors of the American flag. It will incorporate other American symbols: oak leaves, representing the national tree; and corn stalks, representing the national crop.Some of the symbols included in the tiara have dual meanings relevant to both the papacy and the United States. It will incorporate roses, which is a symbol of the Virgin Mary and the national flower; and it will incorporate olives, which is a symbol of the pontiff’s commitment to peace and appears on the Great Seal of the United States.A buttony cross will sit atop the crown as a symbol of American Catholicism. The cross is used in the coat of arms for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, the country’s first Catholic diocese, and is featured on the flag of Maryland, which is the location of the first English Catholic colonies.The design, Smith explained, is meant to be “elegant and traditional” to honor the office of the papacy but is also meant to “incorporate distinctively American elements” to honor the pope’s American heritage. Maltese jeweler Gabriel Farrugia works on a project. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Gabriel Farrugia Smith said he hopes to fund the project through small donations from the American Catholic faithful so the pontiff can see “this was a group effort” and a gift from Catholics in his home country. This project, he said, provides “a tangible way for people to connect with the successor of Peter.”He also said he plans to compile the names of every person who donates more than $20 into a book, which would be presented to the Holy Father along with the crown and would say on the cover: “Holy Father, please pray for these people.”Smith said his intention is that the tiara can “hopefully [be] put on display in a place of honor” after it is constructed “and presented to the pope when he visits.” When Leo met Vice President JD Vance, the pontiff said he would travel to the United States at some point, although the Holy Father does not have any specific publicly announced plans to visit as of yet.The tiara will be constructed by a Maltese jeweler and artist named Gabriel Farrugia, who has a background in creating religious art, including an Our Lady of Fátima crown, which was used in a coronation ceremony in Guardamangia, Malta. He has also been commissioned by Catholic churches for artistic projects.“Making sacred art is a type of thanksgiving to the One who created us,” Farrugia told EWTN News.“For the God that created us and gave us life, I think we should give him something,” he said, adding that sacred art provides “something that will be left there for ages” and something for “people to admire, to enjoy, and to reflect [upon].”The construction of the crown has not yet begun, as Amici Vaticani is still in the early stages of the crowdfunding effort.Amici Vaticani was launched in 2025 for the purpose of constructing the tiara. According to its website, the nonprofit also seeks to build up “the awakening of a Catholic spirit in the United States.”“Our country, once defined by its Protestant heritage, is now witnessing a boon of conversions,” the website notes. “Men and women rediscovering the depth, beauty, and authority of the Catholic faith.”

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A nonprofit hopes to generate enough small donations to construct a papal tiara for Pope Leo XIV as a gift from American Catholics.

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Crusader The Cross
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Crusader The Cross

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The Cross: The most ubiquitous symbol of the Crusades is undoubtedly the Christian cross. Specifically, the Latin cross, with its distinct vertical and horizontal arms, symbolized the Christian faith and the Crusaders’ mission to reclaim the Holy Land. It adorned banners, shields, and clothing of Crusader knights – In the Style of Neo-Impressionism using Bold Color

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