Pope Leo XIV calls for stronger support of Eastern Churches, highlighting priestly formation and warning of war-driven instability and suffering.
Newsroom (18/06/2026 Gaudium Press ) Pope Leo XIV on Thursday delivered a forceful appeal for sustained investment in the Eastern Catholic Churches, praising their spiritual depth while warning that war and instability continue to threaten their survival.
Addressing participants gathered for the plenary session of the Reunion of Aid Agencies for the Oriental Churches (ROACO), the Pontiff emphasized the urgent need to strengthen the formation of priests, monks, and future ministers in Eastern seminaries. He described such formation as essential not only for the vitality of those Churches, but also for the broader spiritual enrichment of the global Catholic community.
“The Eastern Catholic Churches have a great gift of spiritual riches to share with the universal Church,” Pope Leo said, underscoring that nurturing well-formed clergy is key to ensuring their continued growth and witness.
The Pope framed the Church as a unified yet diverse body, highlighting the importance of preserving its multiplicity of traditions. “Our Mother, the Church, is therefore united, yet not uniform,” he said. “Her fertile womb has given birth to various spiritual and theological traditions, as well as different rites and disciplines, which enrich one another.”
According to Pope Leo XIV, the Eastern Churches play a unique role in reconnecting believers with the origins of the Christian faith. Their liturgies, he noted, serve as a living expression of divine grace and historical continuity, illuminating the spiritual heritage of early Christianity.
However, he cautioned that this heritage cannot endure without deliberate effort. The preservation of the Christian East, he stressed, depends on a deeper understanding of its traditions—an understanding that requires robust educational and spiritual formation. In this regard, the Pope expressed strong support for ROACO’s commitment to funding the training of future priests and deacons.
He also highlighted the need to balance intellectual formation with spiritual depth. “This bond between knowledge and charity, between open minds and working hands, also requires, however, a spiritual dimension: a heart that is not only generous, but also filled with grace and set ablaze by the Holy Spirit,” he said.
Yet the Pope’s address moved beyond ecclesiastical concerns to confront what he described as a broader global crisis: the enduring consequences of war and instability. He drew a stark contrast between those working to sustain life and those who perpetuate violence.
“While you generate life, they sow death,” he said. “While you reach out to your brother, they seek enemies to crush; while you create dialogue, they seek monologues.”
Pope Leo XIV argued that such dynamics not only perpetuate suffering but also reflect a tragic misallocation of resources. Efforts that could alleviate needs and foster development are instead diverted toward destruction.
A particular concern, he noted, is the ongoing displacement of Eastern Christians from their ancestral homelands. This “painful exodus,” largely driven by conflict, continues to unfold with limited global attention, resulting in what he described as tragedies too often forgotten by the wider world.
Central to his message was the concept of “instability,” which he called a defining scourge affecting the Eastern Churches. Even after active conflict subsides, he warned, societies frequently remain trapped in cycles of insecurity.
“There is a plague, a scourge born of war… one that continues to drain the lifeblood of the Eastern Churches,” the Pope said. “I define it with a single word: instability.”
Such instability, he explained, is characterized by weakened institutions, the presence of armed groups, and the influence of external actors pursuing their own interests. Together, these forces create an environment where genuine development is stifled and governance is compromised.
“Such a system does not act freely, but instead navigates a maze of subterfuge, secret agreements and partisan interests,” he said. The result, he added, is a “perpetual cycle” that disproportionately impacts the most vulnerable.
The economic and social consequences are particularly severe for families and young people, many of whom face precarious employment and uncertain futures. This, in turn, fuels further instability, creating a self-reinforcing cycle that is difficult to break.
In closing, Pope Leo XIV called for a renewed moral awakening, urging individuals and communities to reflect on the far-reaching consequences of violence. He emphasized that acts of war often rebound upon those who initiate them, compounding rather than resolving conflict.
“Let us pray to Jesus, the Lord of peace,” he said, “and appeal to people’s consciences so that they may be moved by indignation; and may respect for humanity and a proper sense of civility be restored.”
The Pontiff’s remarks underscored a dual message: a call to preserve the rich traditions of the Eastern Churches through education and formation, and a broader appeal for peace in a world increasingly marked by division and fragility.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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