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The 88-foot tall spruce tree from Italy’s Bolzano province was erected next to the ancient Egyptian obelisk which stands in the middle of the 17th century Baroque square designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini.
Pope Leo XIV told representatives of the global film industry on Saturday that cinema is far more than entertainment, calling it a vehicle capable of expressing humanity’s deepest spiritual search and its longing for the infinite.
The encounter, described as one of “closeness with the victims, of deep and painful listening and dialogue,” lasted nearly three hours.
The Vatican said in a press release that Leo signed the exhortation "Dilexi te" in the library of the Apostolic Palace.
The event took place in the Vatican's San Damaso Courtyard. The Holy Father was joined by a crowd of spectators watching as the 27 new members were sworn into the ranks of the papal guard.
Pope Leo XIV on Oct. 2 said a “culture of reconciliation” is necessary to support more than 100 million people affected by migration and displacement across the world.
In response to a journalist who asked the pontiff about the “Becciu trial,” Leo said “the trial must go forward” and that “he has no intention of interfering.”
On Aug. 27 the Vatican will publish a compilation of Pope Leo XIV’s discourses from the first months of his pontificate in a book signed by the pontiff.
The pope called on parliamentarians to ensure that “power is tamed by conscience and law is at the service of human dignity.”
The Holy Father urged his listeners to ask the Mother of God and “Queen of Peace” to intercede for those suffering due to war and violence.
The surge in blessings reflects enthusiasm over the start of a new pontificate and highlights a traditional practice that combines devotion with fundraising for charitable works.
“You are not only influencers, you are also missionaries,” Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle said during a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on July 29.
The prelate succeeds U.S.-born Cardinal Seán O’Malley, 81, the founding president of the safeguarding commission established by Pope Francis in 2014.
The Holy Father invited a large group of teachers and young people from Denmark, England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales to the Vatican on Saturday.
“We are very hopeful; you perceive a lot of enthusiasm, anyway, whether from brother priests or from the people of God,” newly ordained Father Simone Troilo told CNA.
“Even when it seems we are able to do little in life, it is always worthwhile. There is always the possibility to find meaning, because God loves our life,” Leo said.
A banner image of a waving Pope Leo XIV against a simple light blue background can now be found spread across the top half of the revamped Holy See website’s homepage.
The pope asked his listeners to be inspired and renewed in their vocation to “be a leaven of missionary zeal within the people of God.”
President of the Papal Foundation, which carries out the Holy Father’s humanitarian aid projects, thinks Leo XIV’s papacy might increase charitable giving in US.
"I asked him why he took this name," Filoni said. "He's an Augustinian. ... He told me, 'In this moment, we need a man with a clear vision of the Church.'"