Pope: ‘I was thinking of retiring, but instead I surrendered to God’

Vatican News

“First of all, I want to say thank you to all of you who have worked so hard; I would like you to pass on this message also to the other journalists, both in Türkiye and in Lebanon, who have worked to communicate the important messages of this journey. You too all deserve a big round of applause for this visit.”

Pope Leo XIV greeted the 81 journalists on board the flight from Beirut to Rome with those words, before answering several questions, speaking in English, Italian and Spanish.

He spoke about his just-concluded Apostolic Journey, the Middle East, the war in Ukraine, Europe’s presence in peace negotiations, and the situation in Venezuela.

He also received a gift from a Lebanese correspondent: a hand-made painting, created live on television in recent days, depicting him and the symbolic places he visited in the Land of the Cedars.

Below is a working English transcription and translation of the press conference:

Joe Farchakh (LBC International): You are an American Pope who is leading a peace process. My question is whether you will use your contacts with President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. On the plane, you said that the Vatican is a friend of Israel. Will you raise the issue of stopping Israel’s aggression against Lebanon? And is a sustainable peace possible in the region?

[Pope Leo XIV, in English]: First of all, yes, I believe sustainable peace is achievable. I think that when we talk about hope, when we talk about peace, when we look to the future, we do so because I believe it is possible that peace once again come to the region and come to your country, to Lebanon.

In fact I have already, in a very small way, begun a few conversations with some of the leaders of places that you have mentioned, and I would intend to continue to do that, personally or through the Holy See, because the fact is that we do have diplomatic relationships with most of the countries through the region, and it would be our hope certainly, to continue to raise that call for peace that I spoke of at the very end of the Mass today.

Imad Atrach (Sky News Arabia): In your last speech, there was a clear message to the Lebanese authorities to negotiate. To negotiate, to dialogue, to build. Will the Vatican do something concrete in this regard? Last night you met a Shia representative. Before your visit, Hezbollah sent you a message; I don’t know if you received it, if you read it. What could you tell us about this? Thank you very much for having visited Lebanon, which was a dream for us.

[Pope, in Italian]: One aspect of this journey, which was not the main reason—because the visit was conceived with ecumenical questions in mind, with the theme of Nicaea, the meeting with Catholic and Orthodox Patriarchs, and the search for unity in the Church—but in fact, during this journey, I also had personal encounters with representatives of different groups who represent political authorities, people or groups who have something to do with internal conflicts or even international conflicts in the region.

Our work is not primarily something public that we proclaim in the streets; it is somewhat behind the scenes. It is something we have already done and will continue to do in order to convince the parties to lay down their arms, to abandon violence, and to come together to the table of dialogue: to seek answers and solutions that are not violent but can be more effective.

Imad Atrach: The message from Hezbollah?

Yes, I saw it. Clearly, on the part of the Church there is the proposal that they lay down their arms and that we seek dialogue. But beyond this, I prefer not to comment at this time.

Cindy Wooden, CNS : Holy Father, you said a couple of months ago that there is a learning curve to being Pope. When you arrived at Harissa yesterday, with the warm welcome, it looked like you said, ‘Wow.’ Can you tell us what you are learning? What is the most difficult thing to learn for you in being Pope? And you haven’t told us anything either about what it felt like in the Conclave when it became clear what was happening. Can you tell us a little bit about that?

[Pope, in English]: Well, my first comment would be that just a year or two ago I too thought about retiring someday. You have received that gift apparently; some of us will continue to work. (A joke referencing the fact that Ms. Wooden is retiring in December, ed.)

The Conclave itself, I believe very strictly about the secret of the Conclave, even though I know that there have been public interviews where some things were revealed. I said to a reporter the day before I was elected, she caught me on the street I was going to lunch across the street at the Augustinians, and she said, ‘What do you think? You have become one of the candidates!’ And I simply said, ‘Everything is in the hands of God.’ And I believe that profoundly.

One of you, there is a German journalist on here who said to me the other day, tell me one book, besides St. Augustine, that we could read to understand who Prevost is.

And there’s several I thought of, but one of them is a book called, “The practice of the presence of God.” It’s a very simple book, by someone who doesn’t even give his last name, Brother Lawrence, written many years ago.

But it describes, if you will, a type of prayer and spirituality where one simply gives his life to the Lord and allows the Lord to lead. If you want to know something about me, that has been my spirituality for many years.

In midst of great challenges, living in Peru during years of terrorism, being called to service in places where I never thought I would be called to serve to. I trust in God, and that message is something that I share with all people.

So what was it like? I resigned myself to the fact when I saw how things were going, and I said that this could be a reality. I took a deep breath, I said here we go Lord, you’re in charge, you lead the way.

I don’t know that I said ‘Wow’ last night. In the sense that my face is very expressive, but I’m oftentimes amused by how the journalists interpret my face. I mean, it’s interesting; sometimes I get, you know, like really great ideas from all of you, because you think you can read my mind or my face. And it’s not—you’re not always correct.

I mean, I was at the Jubilee for Youth, where there were over 1 million young people there. Last night was a small crowd.

It’s always marvellous to me; I think to myself, ‘These people are here because they want to see the Pope,’ but I say to myself, ‘They are here because they want to see Jesus Christ and they want to see a messenger of peace,’ in this case in particular.

So to just listen to their enthusiasm, and to hear their response to that message is something that I think is—that enthusiasm is awe-inspiring. I just hope I never get tired of appreciating everything that all these young people are showing.

Gian Guido Vecchi (Corriere della Sera): These are hours of great tension between NATO and Russia; there is talk of hybrid war, prospects of cyberattacks, and things of this kind. Do you see the risk of an escalation, of a conflict carried forward with new means as reported by NATO leaders? And, in this climate, can there be negotiations for a just peace without Europe, which in recent months has been systematically excluded by the American presidency?

[Pope, in Italian]: This is obviously an important issue for peace in the world, but the Holy See does not have a direct involvement, because we are not members of NATO nor of any of the talks so far, and even though many times we have called for a ceasefire, for dialogue and not war.

And it is now a war with many aspects: with the increase in arms, all the armaments production going on, cyberattacks, energy. Now that winter is coming there is a serious problem there.

It is clear that, on the one hand, the President of the United States is thinking he can promote a peace plan that he would like to carry out and that, at least at first, is without Europe.

But Europe’s presence is important, and that first proposal was also modified because of what Europe was saying.

Specifically, I think Italy’s role could be very important. Culturally and historically, Italy has the capacity to act as an intermediary in the midst of a conflict that exists between different parties: Ukraine, Russia, the United States…

In this sense, I could suggest that the Holy See might encourage this kind of mediation, and that one should seek—and that we should seek together—a solution that could truly offer peace, a just peace, in this case in Ukraine.

Elisabetta Piqué (La Nación): The Lebanese flag has the same colours as the flag of Peru. Is that a sign that you will be making a visit to Latin America in the second half of next year, combining it with Argentina and Uruguay? Joking aside, what visits are you preparing for the coming year? And, furthermore, speaking of Latin America, there is a great deal of tension because of what is happening in Venezuela. There is an ultimatum from President Trump to Maduro to resign, to leave power, and a threat to remove him by a military operation. What do you think about this?

[Pope, in Spanish]: As for visits, there is nothing absolutely certain; I hope to carry out a visit to Africa. That would possibly be the next journey.

Ms. Piqué: Where?

Africa, Africa. Personally, I hope to go to Algeria to visit the places of Saint Augustine, but also in order to continue the conversation of dialogue, of building bridges between the Christian world and the Muslim world. In the past, in another role, I already had the opportunity to speak about this topic.

It is interesting: the figure of Saint Augustine helps a great deal as a bridge, because in Algeria he is very much respected as a son of the homeland. That is one.

Then there are some other countries, but we are working on it. Clearly, I would very much like to visit Latin America, Argentina, and Uruguay, which are waiting for the Pope’s visit. I think Peru would also receive me, and if I go to Peru there would also be many neighbouring countries, but the plan is not yet defined.

Regarding Venezuela, at the level of the Bishops’ Conference and with the Nuncio, we are trying to find a way to calm the situation, seeking above all the good of the people, because in these situations it is the people who suffer, not the authorities.

The signals coming from the United States change, and so we must see… On the one hand, it seems there has been a telephone conversation between the two presidents; on the other hand, there is this danger, this possibility, that there could be an action, an operation, including an invasion of Venezuelan territory.

I again believe it is better to seek dialogue within this pressure, including economic pressure, but looking for another way to bring about change, if that is what the United States decide to do.

Michael Corre, La Croix : Hello Your Holiness, thank you for this very interesting trip. You just talked about continuing to build bridge between different worlds. I would like to ask: some Catholics in Europe believe that Islam is a threat to a Christian identity of the West. Are they right, and what would you say to them?

[Pope, in English]: All of the conversations that I had during my time, both in Türkiye and Lebanon, including with many Muslims, was precisely concentrated on the topic of peace and respect for people of different religions.

I know that, as a matter of fact, that has not always been the case. I know that in Europe there are many times fears that are present but oftentimes generated by people who are against immigration and trying to keep out people who may be from another country, another religion, another race.

And in that sense, I would say that we all need to work together, one of the values of this trip is precisely to raise the world’s attention to the possibility that dialogue and friendship between Muslims and Christians is possible.

I think one of the great lessons that Lebanon can teach to the world is precisely showing a land where Islam and Christianity are both present and are respected and that there is a possibility to live together to be friends.

Stories, testimonies, witnesses that we heard even in the past two days of people helping each other; Christians with Muslims, both of whom had had their villages destroyed, for example, were saying we can come together and work together.

I think those are lessons that would be important also to be heard in Europe or North America. We should perhaps be a little less fearful and look for ways of promoting authentic dialogue and respect.

Anna Giordano (Ard Radio): The Church in Lebanon is supported also by the German Church. There are, for example, some German aid agencies very active in Lebanon. So also from that point of view, it is important that the German Church stays a strong Church. So you probably know, that there is this (Synodaler Weg), Synodal Way, a process of change in the German Church going on. Do you think this process can can be a way to strengthen the Church? Or is is the other way around? And why?

[Pope, in English]: The Synodal Way is not unique to Germany; the whole Church has celebrated a Synod and synodality over the past several years.

There are some great similarities, but there are also some marked differences between how the Synodal Way in Germany has been carried forward and how it may well continue in the universal Church. On the one hand, I would say there is room certainly for respect for inculturation.

The fact that in one place synodality is lived in a certain way, and in an other place it is lived differently, does not mean that there will be rupture or a fracture. I think that is very important to remember.

At the same time, I am aware that many Catholics in Germany believe that certain aspects of the Synodal Way that has been celebrated in Germany up until now, do not represent their own hope for the Church or their own way of living the Church.

So, there is need for further dialogue and listening within Germany itself, so that no one’s voice is excluded, so that the voice of those who are more powerful does not silence or stifle the voice of those who might also be very numerous but don’t have a place to speak up and to allow their own voices and own expressions of Church participation to be listened to.

At the same time, as you know I am sure, the group of German Bishops has been meeting, for the last couple of years, with a group of the Cardinals from the Roman Curia. There is an ongoing process there as well, to try and make sure the German Synodal Way does not, if you will, break away from what needs to be considered as a pathway of the universal Church.

I’m sure that will continue. I suspect there will be some adjustments made on both sides in Germany, but I’m certainly hopefully that things will work out positively.

Rita El-Mounayer (Sat-7 International): We are four different Christian channels broadcasting in the Middle East and North Africa, two in Arabic, one in Farsi and one in Turkish. First of all, I would like to thank you for giving a time for the Lebanese people. I am myself a child of war, and I know how much it means to have a hug from Your Holiness, a tap on the shoulder, and saying everything is going to be ok. And what struck me is your motto: ‘In the one we are one.’ This motto speaks of building bridges between different Christian denominations, between religions and also across neighbours, that sometimes can be a bit difficult. So my question is, from your own perspective, what unique gift does the Church in the Middle East—with all its tears, wounds, challenges and past history—can give the Church in the West and the world?

[Pope, in English]: Let me preface my response by saying that today people who grew up in a very individualistic society—young people who passed significant amount of time during the pandemic because of COVID, and whose personal relationships are oftentimes very isolated, in reality because they are only through computer screens or smartphones—they ask sometimes, ‘Why should we want to be one? I am an individual, and I don’t care about others.’

And I think there is a very important message here to say to all people that unity, friendship, human relationships, communion, are extremely important and extremely valuable. If for no other reason, then the example you mentioned about someone who has lived through war or has suffered and is in pain, what an embrace can mean to them.

What that very human, real, healthy expression of personal care can do to heal the heart of someone else. On a personal level, that can become, if you will, a common level, a community level that unites all of us, and helps us understand, and respect for one another goes far beyond ‘You keep your distance; I’ll stay here, and you stay there, and we’ll have no interaction.’ But it means building up relationships that will enrich all people.

With that message, certainly, my motto is primarily because of Christ “il illo” is ‘In Christ who is one we are all one.’

But it is not defined, if you will, only for Christians. As a matter of fact, it is an invitation to all of us and to others to say: the more we can promote authentic unity and understanding, respect and human relationships of friendship and dialogue in the world, the greater possibility there is that we will put aside the arms of war, that we will leave aside the distrust, the hatred, the animosity that has so often been built up and that we will find ways to come together and be able to promote authentic peace and justice throughout the world.