Pope Leo Urges Yemen Ceasefire, Prays for Jordan Church Victims at October 25 Angelus

VATICAN CITY — October 25, 2026. Pope Leo XIV used his Sunday Angelus address to urge an end to fighting in Yemen, focusing on shortages of food, water and medical care in Taiz. He also offered prayers for people killed or injured in Friday’s attack on worshippers at an Orthodox church in Jordan. His remarks connected two immediate humanitarian crises to a broader appeal for dialogue ahead of an interfaith peace gathering in Assisi.

What the pope said — and what remains unresolved

Speaking after the midday Angelus at St Peter’s Square, Leo described Yemen’s humanitarian situation as grave, singling out Taiz. He called for hostilities to stop and for people across the region to be able to live in peace. The Vatican’s published English transcript provides the primary record of his remarks; Reuters separately reported on the address.

The appeal is a statement of concern and a call for de-escalation, not an announcement that the fighting has stopped or that new aid corridors have opened. The operational questions are whether parties to the conflict halt attacks, whether roads and supply routes can be used safely, and whether aid reaches civilians in Taiz. Those outcomes require independent confirmation from humanitarian agencies and authorities.

Jordan attack: solidarity without speculation

Leo also addressed the October 23 attack on worshippers at the Orthodox Church of Saint George in Hamoud, Jordan. He expressed solidarity with victims and with a country he described as known for religious coexistence. The official transcript confirms that statement. His comments did not establish the identity or motive of any perpetrator; those are matters for investigators and independently corroborated reporting.

Why the Assisi meeting matters

The pope invited people to join in spirit with Christian and other religious leaders gathering in Assisi on October 27, the 40th anniversary of the interfaith meeting convened by John Paul II. The planned gathering gives his appeal a diplomatic and religious setting, but it is not itself a ceasefire negotiation. According to Reuters, Leo’s participation is affected by his recovery from recent surgery.

Watch the October 25 Angelus — official Vatican video

Event-matched video: The Vatican’s own October 25 Angelus event page links to this recording. The video documents the address at which the appeal was made; it should not be mistaken for footage from Yemen or Jordan.

Watch via the Vatican’s official event page if the embedded player is unavailable or restricted in your region. A separate EWTN October 25 recording is also available. Player compatibility may vary by browser and region.

At a glance

Event: Angelus address, St Peter’s Square, Vatican City, Sunday October 25, 2026.
Confirmed: Pope appealed for an end to Yemen hostilities and prayed for victims of the Jordan church attack.
Not confirmed by this speech: A ceasefire, aid delivery breakthrough, or investigative findings about the attack.
Next milestone: Interfaith gathering in Assisi on October 27.

Featured image: archival photograph of St Peter’s Basilica by Fabio Fistarol, used under the Unsplash License. It does not depict the October 25 address. Video: Vatican Media, embedded from the Vatican’s official event recording; copyright remains with the rights holder.

Related coverage

For further context on the region’s travel disruptions, see our Riyadh airport advisory. These are separate developments; neither proves a change in the other.

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