Pope Leo XIV celebrated his 70th birthday on Sunday at St. Peter’s Square, blessing the faithful and receiving messages from around the world, including from world leaders and children.
Hundreds of faithful gathered at St. Peter’s Square on Sunday to celebrate the Pontiff's anniversary, waving balloons, banners, and signs in English, Italian, and Spanish. He blessed the crowd during the Angelus prayer and thanked everyone for their good wishes.
“My dears, it seems you know today I have turned 70,” the Pope said to applause. “I thank the Lord, my parents and all those who remembered me in their prayers.”
The Vatican reported that greetings came from across the globe, including drawings from young patients at Rome’s Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, which Pope Leo visited in August. Many of the drawings conveyed wishes for world peace, with one showing the Pope waving a peace flag between a dove and St. Peter’s Basilica.
In interviews shared Sunday, Pope Leo reflected on the challenges of his papacy, describing it as a “huge learning curve” akin to being “thrown into the deep end of the pool.” The first American pontiff said he has quickly adapted to being a spiritual leader for Catholics worldwide, though he noted the diplomatic responsibilities of the papacy are more complex.
“Being thrown onto the level of world leader is entirely new,” Leo said. “I’m learning a lot and feeling very challenged, but not overwhelmed.”
The Pope also received greetings from world leaders. Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella praised Leo for promoting “unarmed and disarming peace” and for inspiring dialogue, justice, and dignity globally. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni thanked him for his guidance during challenging times.
The German Bishops’ Conference congratulated Pope Leo XIV, calling him a “bridge-building” figure who unites believers. Bishop Dr. Georg Bätzing noted the Pope’s presence during church services, audiences, and meetings as evidence that the Church is actively among the people.
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Pope Leo will embark on his first trip outside Italy as the leader of the Catholic Church on Thursday, travelling to Türkiye and Lebanon, where he is expected to make appeals for peace in the region.
Head of the Catholic church Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday urged the global community to push for a permanent ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, calling for the release of hostages and safe delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reiterated his offer to host Ukraine-Russia peace talks in Ankara, at his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The talks took place on the sidelines of the international Forum for Peace and Trust in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on Friday (12 December).
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Iranian authorities have seized a foreign tanker carrying more than 6 million litres of smuggled fuel in the Sea of Oman, detaining all 18 crew members on board.
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The latest round of clashes between Thailand and Cambodia has left 15 Thai soldiers dead and 270 others injured, Thailand’s Ministry of Defence spokesman Surasant Kongsiri said at a press conference on Saturday.
Tensions escalate as the U.S. seizes Venezuelan oil tanker Skipper on 10 December, a move Caracas calls “international piracy,” targeting sanctioned crude and marking a sharp escalation in Washington’s pressure on Maduro’s regime.
Syria has arrested five people suspected of having links to a deadly attack on a joint U.S.–Syrian convoy in the central town of Palmyra on Saturday, the country’s Interior Ministry said.
The head of Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service, the foreign spy service known as MI6, has warned that Russia "remains an aggressive and expansionist threat", vowing sustained support for Ukraine and calling for greater use of technology to protect UK security.
Odesa residents remained without power for a third straight day on Monday (15 December) after a Russian missile and drone strike crippled the power grid on Saturday (13 December).
Fighting along the Thailand–Cambodia border has entered a fifth consecutive day, despite U.S. President Donald Trump claiming he had brokered a ceasefire between the two sides.
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