Recalling the Belgian association’s support for the papacy since its 19th-century founding, Pope Leo said that “the Bishop of Rome has received from Christ the task of gathering the faithful people into unity and proclaiming the Gospel of Salvation throughout the earth; and the charism of his Successors implies the sovereign freedom to do so.”

“Yet the proclamation of the Kingdom is hindered in many places throughout the world, and in many ways,” Pope Leo continued. “How important it is, therefore, in the troubled times in which we live, that ‘Peter’ retain his complete freedom to speak the truth, denounce injustice, defend the rights of the weakest, promote peace, and above all proclaim Jesus Christ, who died and rose again, the only possible hope for a reconciled humanity.”

February 22 marks the 95th anniversary of the first apparition of the Merciful Jesus to St. Faustina Kowalska. Since then, a new chapter has begun in the spread of the cult of Divine Mercy through the Chaplet and the painting “Jesus, I trust in You.”

May Lent be a time of encounter with Christ through the Sacrament of Penance and the works of mercy. My blessing to you all!

These words of the Pontiff were omitted from the Vatican’s English translation of his remarks.

“Shaking the Pope’s hand, feeling his closeness to all the families who suffer because of the war, and entrusting him with all our concern has been a great opportunity to put our hearts into action and fill them with hope and deep spiritual consolation,” said Kateryna Muzlova.

“Last month, after a mysterious eighteen-month delay, the U.K. government finally published the 2023 abortion figures for England and Wales,” Philippa Stroud, a member of the House of Lords, wrote in an article. “When adding in the numbers for the rest of the U.K., the figures revealed over 299,000 abortions took place across Britain in a single year, a new record.”

The report, released on February 17, identified “six areas of critical concern—threats and opportunities—for religious liberty in 2026”:

• Political and anti-religious violence
• Unjust terms and conditions on federal grants, and unreliability of government
• Access to sacraments for ICE detainees and immigration enforcement at houses of worship
• School choice and the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit
• Repeal of provisions that prevent religious organizations from participating in government programs
• Further repudiation of gender ideology

Pope Leo XIV celebrated the Mass of Ash Wednesday at the Basilica of Saint Sabina late this afternoon, following the customary penitential procession that began at the Church of Saint Anselm (booklet, video).

“The theme chosen for this year, Healthcare for All: Sustainability and Equity,” is consistent with “the work undertaken in recent years: the defense of life cannot be limited to the fundamental responsibilities that arise at its beginning and end, but requires an active and proactive presence, from prevention to treatment,” Msgr. Pegoraro said yesterday, in a text published by the Vatican newspaper.

“We live in a challenging historical moment, characterized by inequalities that are not diminished but are instead exacerbated by wars, environmental crises, and the growing difficulty of maintaining the level of essential services even in the most fortunate countries,” he added. “Sustainability and equity are not just two slogans. They are realities that must be carefully and precisely understood if we truly want no one to be excluded.”

Father Ielpo, who visited Syria from February 9-13, told Vatican News that “the greatest tragedy [Idlib families] say they have experienced is the forced expulsion of young people after the arrival of the jihadists. The elderly who remained confided in me: we were convinced we would die without seeing our children again. Instead, the fact that they returned was an indescribable joy for them.”

In Syria, churches “are filling up especially with young people,” he continued. “There are also children in catechism who want to start over. In short, on the one hand, there is a crisis that is also economic, with the cost of basic necessities having increased significantly, and on the other, there is the sense that a rebirth is underway.”

Pope Leo has proclaimed a Year of Saint Francis in commemoration of the 800th anniversary of the saint’s death. Vatican News, the news agency of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication, reported that the saint’s relics have not previously been exposed.

Bishops of each nation are assigned a different day during Lent to celebrate Masses for this intention, beginning on February 18 in Albania and concluding on April 2 in Hungary.