Tuesday, May 12, 2026

Mary is humanity’s spiritual mother

 



 

 

Our Lady of Fatima: The Apparitions, Three Secrets, and Historical Impact | Catholic Answers Tract

 

Our Lady of Fatima: The Apparitions, Three Secrets, and Historical Impact

 

The 1917 Apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima

 

The story of Our Lady of Fatima stands as one of the most important Marian sagas in modern Catholic history, illustrating anew that the Blessed Mother always leads people to her Divine Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

In 1917 in Fatima, Portugal, the Blessed Virgin Mary—also known as Our Lady of Fatima, Virgen de Fatima, and Señora de Fatima—appeared to three shepherd children with a message that continues to shape Catholic life and the Church’s mission in general. At its core, the message of Fatima calls humanity to repentanceprayer, and trust in God’s mercy, especially during times of crisis.

 

The Feast of Our Lady of Fatima is celebrated annually on May 13.

 

What Is Our Lady of Fatima? What Happened at Fatima?

 

When people ask, What is Fatima? they are referring both to the place Fatima in Portugal and to the extraordinary Marian apparitions that occurred there. Fatima and its significance are rooted in a series of six apparitions that took place over several months in 1917 at the Cova da Iria, where Mary appeared to Francisco and Jacinta Marto and their cousin Sister Lucia dos Santos.

Mary identified herself as the Lady of the Rosary, emphasizing the importance of prayer, especially to pray the rosary daily. Her message unfolded against the backdrop of World War I, a time of immense suffering, and she warned that, without repentance, humanity would face even greater trials. She urged the children to pray for the conversion of sinners and to make sacrifices for the salvation of the souls of poor sinners.

 

At Mary’s request, a chapel was later built here in her honor, and today the Basilica of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal stands as a global pilgrimage destination, drawing millions every year to reflect on her message.

 

Where Is Fatima?: Why Fatima Portugal Matters to the World

 

Many ask Where is Fatima? or simply wonder where Fatima is located. Fatima, Portugal lies about 80 miles north of Lisbon, the nation’s capital, and has become one of the most important pilgrimage sites in the Catholic world, drawing 5-7 million pilgrims every year. What was once a quiet rural village is now home to the Basilica of Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church and an international shrine visited by pilgrims seeking spiritual renewal.

 

The significance of this place Fatima was confirmed dramatically on October 13, 1917, when tens of thousands witnessed the miracle of the sun, an event confirmed by the theretofore skeptical reporter of O Seculo, the local secular newspaper. This public event reinforced the credibility of the apparitions and brought worldwide attention to Our Lady of Fatima.

 

Who Is Fatima? The Identity of Our Lady of Fatima and Virgen de Fatima

 

The question, Who is Fatima? can be confusing at first, but the answer is clear: Our Lady of Fatima is the Blessed Virgin Mary appearing under a specific title connected to the Portuguese city of Fatima. As Señora de Fatima and Virgen de Fatima, she revealed herself as the Lady of the Rosary, directing our repentant attention to her Son Jesus, our merciful Savior. Indeed, to whom do we repent? Jesus. From whom do we receive forgiveness in the sacrament of confessionJesus. Whom do we encounter in a most edifying way in receiving the Holy Eucharist? Jesus. These are fundamental elements of Mary’s messages at Fatima.

 

Her messages include references to the Child Jesus to bless the world, further highlighting that her role is always to lead souls closer to her Son. So the apparitions are not isolated events; rather, they are part of God’s ongoing call to conversion and

holiness, which his Church proclaims on his behalf to the whole world (see Matt. 28:18-20). In this regard, Mary is humanity’s spiritual mother, caring in particular for “those who keep the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus” (Rev. 12:17).

 

What Are the Three Secrets of Our Lady of Fatima?

 

A central question people ask is, What are the three secrets of Our Lady of Fatima?

 

Mary revealed the secrets to the children, which Sister Lucia later recorded. They are not secrets in the sense of hidden knowledge meant to exclude others, but rather messages gradually disclosed which further call mankind back to God.

 

The first secret included a terrifying vision of hell, in which the children saw the suffering of the damned. This vision underscored the urgency of repentance and the need to pray for the souls of poor sinners in danger of damnation.

 

The second secret focused on history and devotion. Mary foretold the end of World War I but warned of another, more devastating conflict if people did not turn back to God.

 

She called for devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, promising that, in the end, her heart would triumph. This included the request that the Holy Father will consecrate Russia to her Immaculate Heart. In response, Pope Pius XII consecrated the world by himself in 1942, and Russia in 1952. Later, in 1984, Pope John Paul II consecrated the world and with it Russia, joined by the Church’s bishops worldwide as Our Lady had requested. The pope linked his survival of an assassination attempt in 1981 to the protection of Our Lady of Fatima.

What Is the Third Secret of Fatima? Has It Been Revealed?

 

Questions such as, What is the third secret of Fatima? Has the third secret of Fatima been revealed? and What is the Fatima third secret? continue to generate interest and debate. The Church officially revealed the third part of the secret in 2000. It described a symbolic vision of persecution, including a “bishop dressed in white” who suffers along with others for the Faith.

 

The Church interprets this vision as referring to the suffering of the Church in the modern world and inclusive of the attempt to assassinate Pope John Paul II, which occurred on May 13, 1981, the anniversary of the first Fatima apparition. 

 

While some speculation persists, the Church affirms that the third secret has been fully disclosed and that its meaning points to perseverance in faith amid suffering, confident that Jesus will sustain his Church and lead the faithful unto eternal life (Matt. 6:33; see 10:16-22).

 

The Real Third Secret of Fatima: Clearing Up Confusion

 

Because of ongoing speculation, people often ask, What is the real third secret of Fatima? The Church emphasizes that the message of Fatima and its secrets should not be reduced to conspiracy theories or hidden warnings, including that the Church has yet to tell the real story about the third secret. Instead, the focus remains on conversion, prayer, and fidelity to Christ and his Church. Indeed, the message of the third secret is a call to remain steadfast in times of trial, confident that Jesus will remain faithful to his promise that “the gates of hell will not prevail against” his Catholic Church (Matt. 16:18-19).

 

The Message of Fatima: Prayer, Repentance, and Conversion of Sinners

 

At its heart, the message of Our Lady of Fatima is profoundly simple yet demanding. Mary calls the faithful to recite five decades of the Rosary every day, seek forgiveness through confession, receive Holy Communion, recite other prayers, and live lives of holiness in general. Her emphasis on the conversion of sinners reflects the gospel itself, reminding us that God desires all people to be saved (John 3:16-17; 1 Tim. 2:4).

 

Mary also introduced the devotion of reparation on the first Saturdays for five consecutive months, inviting believers to console her Immaculate Heart of Mary by offering acts of love and devotion. This message is not limited to a specific time or place but continues to remains relevant.

 

The Immaculate Heart of Mary Will Triumph: Hope in Fatima’s Promise

 

One of the most powerful elements of the Fatima message is the promise that “my Immaculate Heart will triumph.” Despite the reality of sin and suffering, Mary assures the faithful that they will ultimately prevail in Jesus, provided we respond to and persevere in God’s grace.

 

This promise has sustained devotion to Our Lady of Fatima across generations, offering hope in times of war, persecution, and personal struggle. It reminds believers that no matter how dark the world may seem, God’s plan is one of redemption.

 

Why Our Lady of Fatima Still Matters Today

 

The message of Our Lady of Fatima remains strikingly relevant. The world continues to experience conflict, moral confusion, and spiritual unrest, much like the time of the apparitions. The call to prayer, repentance, and trust in God is as urgent now as it was in 1917—and arguably more so.

The witness of Sister Lucia and Francisco and Jacinta Marto demonstrates how even the simplest individuals can become powerful instruments of God. Their lives show that holiness is attainable and that responding to God’s call can have a global impact.

 

The Lasting Meaning of Our Lady of Fatima

 

From the fields of Fatima, Portugal to the hearts of millions worldwide, the message of Our Lady of Fatima continues to inspire faith and conversion.

 

Her message invites every person to embrace prayer, seek and offer forgiveness, and trust in God’s mercy. In a world still searching for peace, the message of Our Lady of Fatima offers a clear and hopeful path forward.

 

Monday, May 11, 2026

Trump a new Nebuchednezzar

 



 

‘Wherever the sons of men or beasts of the field or birds of the air dwell,

He has given them into your hand and has made you ruler over them all.

You are that head of gold’.

Daniel 2:38

 

Trump vs Nebuchadnezzar

 Trump vs Nebuchadnezzar – The Bible Study (2026)

 

Donald Trump’s second term has been marked by a flurry of vindictive and destabilizing actions, raising alarms both within and beyond U.S. borders. By threatening the rule of law, undermining democratic institutions, and alienating allies worldwide, Trump appears intent on bending every institution to his will. In looking for historical or scriptural parallels, many observers have pointed to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon—another towering figure whose hubris and might led him down a path of self-exaltation and harsh rule before his pride met its downfall.

 

Nebuchadnezzar the Conqueror

 

Nebuchadnezzar … the historical king of Babylon (circa 605–562 BCE), was renowned for his conquests, monumental building projects, and wealth. Yet the Bible depicts him as the epitome of arrogance. In the Book of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar was warned about his overweening pride, his disdain for human dignity, and his failure to acknowledge any higher authority than himself. He destroyed Jerusalem, exiled its inhabitants, and forcibly remade society according to his own desires. When he surveyed the magnificence of Babylon, he boasted, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:30). That kind of self-glorification, the Scriptures say, led to his dramatic fall and a humbling period in which his power was stripped away.

 

Trump’s Parallel Arrogance

 

It’s hard to miss parallels between Nebuchadnezzar’s self-aggrandizement and Trump’s daily outpourings. Since retaking the White House, Trump’s rhetoric and executive orders have signaled that he deems himself above conventional checks and balances. He has weaponized the Department of Justice, pardoned convicted Capitol Hill rioters, and continues to threaten  political opponents with legal reprisal. Such actions reflect a leader who sees the machinery of government primarily as an extension of his personal will, mirroring Nebuchadnezzar’s ancient drive to remake everything in Babylon according to his own image and interests.

 

In biblical terms, Nebuchadnezzar eventually discovered that no ruler stands invincible before moral order. Trump, with his relentless focus on personal revenge, seems similarly unmoored from constitutional or ethical guardrails. He has singled out “deep state” elements, ex-presidents, and civil servants, all portrayed as enemies to be purged. Recent moves—enlisting billionaire Elon Musk’s “department of government efficiency,” mass firings, and the systematic dismantling of agencies like USAid—reveal a mindset convinced of personal infallibility and committed to reshaping the nation’s fabric without regard for legal or human consequences.

 

Disregard for the Vulnerable

 

One hallmark of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign was his capacity for destroying cities and exiling populations, a form of imperial might that left suffering in its wake. Similarly, Trump’s threat to forcibly remove or “clean out” two million Palestinians in Gaza, turning their homeland into a U.S.-owned real estate project, reflects the same brazen disregard for vulnerable populations. The parallels are stark: Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon sacked Jerusalem, exiled its residents, and boasted of triumph; Trump’s policies threaten to uproot civilians for real estate profit and strategic advantage.

Likewise, the mass defunding of USAid evokes a chilling resonance. Babylon’s conquests profoundly disrupted the economic and social stability of conquered peoples. In Trump’s present-day administration, axing foreign aid on such a massive scale consigns millions—already caught in fragile circumstances—to renewed suffering. The unilateral severing of these lifelines further illustrates a leader convinced of his own righteousness, despite global outcry.

 

Hubris and the Fall

 

The story of Nebuchadnezzar offers a cautionary note about ultimate accountability. In the biblical narrative, he reaches the pinnacle of arrogance before God humbles him dramatically. Bereft of reason, the king roams like an animal until he finally acknowledges a higher sovereignty. This episode underscores a universal moral law: unchecked pride often prefaces a fall.

 

Trump’s behavior—disregarding the rule of law, ignoring international norms, and assaulting democratic values—has sparked widespread alarm. In the U.S., courts and portions of civil society have begun pushing back. Globally, former allies such as Britain have expressed shock and dismay, as Trump embarks on “tariff wars,” severs ties with international bodies like the World Health Organization, and diminishes America’s role in the global humanitarian sphere. If Nebuchadnezzar’s lesson holds, a moment of reckoning eventually arrives for leaders who place themselves above moral or legal limits.

 

The Danger to Democracy

 

Perhaps the most haunting comparison lies in Trump’s attack on democratic institutions. Nebuchadnezzar’s power was absolute. He recognized no meaningful constraint on his authority. In the same spirit, Trump’s second-term vengeance spree—his “purging” of government agencies, his undermining of checks and balances, and the targeting of free press—amounts to an attempt at absolute rule. This is a modern re-enactment of ancient autocracy, with the difference being that it unfolds within what was once considered the world’s leading democracy.

 

Both Nebuchadnezzar and Trump highlight the vulnerability of political systems to ego-driven rule, where personal ambition overrides institutional norms. If history—and Scripture—teaches anything, it is that such rule inevitably faces its own undoing, often at great cost to the society involved.

 

Conclusion

 

Nebuchadnezzar’s example serves as both parallel and warning for Donald Trump’s presidency. The biblical monarch’s pride led him to subdue nations, oppress peoples, and exalt himself beyond measure—until his empire crumbled beneath the weight of his arrogance. Trump’s second term, marked by an ever-growing list of infractions against democratic governance and international cooperation, follows a disturbingly similar trajectory. The fundamental message from Nebuchadnezzar’s downfall is that no ruler, no matter how powerful, stands above truth, law, or moral principle. Whether Donald Trump will encounter a similar humbling remains to be seen. Yet the biblical admonition rings true across the ages: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

 

Christianity

 

In our time, the parallel must not be overlooked. America and the world watch as a modern leader treads an ancient path of unchecked ambition. The question is whether, unlike in Babylon, enough constitutional safeguards and courageous opposition remain to temper that ambition before it wreaks irreparable harm.

 

 

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Thursday, April 2, 2026

Dark hour of history

 

 


“Pope Leo urged Catholics to reject comfort, power and domination and instead embrace a mission rooted in self-giving love, even when it requires risk, vulnerability and suffering”.

 

Taken from:

'In this dark hour of history,' do not shy away from your mission, pope says - Detroit Catholic

 

‘In this dark hour of history’, do not shy away from your mission, pope says

 

Carol Glatz and Josephine Peterson

Apr 2, 2026

….

 

ROME (CNS) -- God doesn't exist to grant victories or to be useful by providing wealth or power, Pope Leo XIV said.

 

Through Jesus, he serves humanity by offering himself in a way that transforms human hearts so that they may then be inspired to love others unconditionally, in turn, he said in his homily during Mass of the Lord's Supper in the Basilica of St. John Lateran.

 

"Jesus purifies not only our image of God -- from the idolatry and blasphemy that have distorted it -- but also our image of humanity," he said April 2, Holy Thursday. "For we tend to consider ourselves powerful when we dominate, victorious when we destroy our equals, great when we are feared."

 

However, he said, "Christ offers us the example of self-giving, service and love" so that humankind can learn how to love according to what true love is.

In fact, he said, learning to act like Jesus "is the work of a lifetime."

 

The Lord loves not because those he reaches out to are good or pure, Pope Leo said, but simply because "he loves us first."

"His love is not a reward for our acceptance of his mercy; instead, he loves us, and therefore cleanses us, thereby enabling us to respond to his love," he said. "He does not ask us to repay him, but to share his gift among ourselves."

"In him, God has given us an example -- not of how to dominate, but of how to liberate; not of how to destroy life, but of how to give it," Pope Leo said.

"As humanity is brought to its knees by so many acts of brutality, let us too kneel down as brothers and sisters alongside the oppressed," he said. "In this way, we seek to follow the Lord's example."

 

Pope Leo XIV washes the foot of a priest during the Mass of the Lord's Supper at the

Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome April 2, 2026. The foot-washing ritual reflects the call

to imitate Christ by serving one another. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

 

The pope's words came during a Mass that commemorates Jesus' institution of the Eucharist and the priesthood, and includes the traditional foot-washing ritual, which reflects the call to imitate Christ by serving one another.

 

Pope Leo returned to an earlier practice of washing the feet of 12 priests from the Diocese of Rome in the Basilica of St. John Lateran, which is the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome. The pope poured water from a golden pitcher onto the foot of each priest, wiped each foot dry with a towel and then gently kissed each foot.

 

Pope Francis had departed from the norm after his election in 2013 by celebrating the Mass in one of Rome's "peripheries," such as prisons or nursing homes, and by washing the feet of men, women and their infants, Muslims or people of no faith, as a sign of his dedication to serve everyone unconditionally.

 

Pope Francis' predecessors had always chosen either 12 priests, laymen or boys from the diocese for the ritual held either in the Basilicas of St. John Lateran or of St. Peter.

By choosing 12 priests, 11 of whom he ordained last year, Pope Leo highlighted the Mass' commemoration of the institution of the Eucharist and of holy orders.

"The intrinsic bond between these two sacraments reveals the perfect self-gift of Jesus, the high Priest and living, eternal Eucharist," he said in his homily.

"Beloved brothers in the priesthood, we are called to serve the people of God with our whole lives," he said.

 

Jesus' disciples were astonished by their master's gesture and, like Peter, "we too must 'learn repeatedly that God's greatness is different from our idea of greatness … because we systematically desire a God of success and not of the Passion,'" he said, quoting Pope Benedict XVI.

"We are always tempted to seek a God who 'serves' us, who grants us victory, who proves useful like wealth or power. Yet we fail to perceive that God does indeed serve us through the gratuitous and humble gesture of washing feet," he said. "This is the true omnipotence of God."

 

Earlier in the day, Pope Leo urged Catholics to reject comfort, power and domination and instead embrace a mission rooted in self-giving love, even when it requires risk, vulnerability and suffering.

 

During the chrism Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, he called on the faithful in his homily to overcome fear and a sense of powerlessness in responding to the world’s crises.

"In this dark hour of history, it has pleased God to send us to spread the fragrance of Christ where the stench of death reigns," he said. "Let us renew our 'yes' to this mission that calls for unity and brings peace."

While grounding his remarks in the teaching of his predecessors, saints and clergy, the pope in this homily placed particular emphasis on the Church’s mission through his own eyes as a missionary.

The first step of accepting the Christian mission, he said, is to risk leaving behind what is familiar and certain, in order to venture into something new.

"Every mission begins with that kind of self-emptying in which everything is reborn," he said.

It is through this self-emptying that Christians encounter the love of Christ, the pope said.

 

Pope Leo XIV celebrates the Mass of the Lord's Supper at the Basilica of St. John Lateran

in Rome April 2, 2026. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

 

At the heart of his first Holy Thursday homily as pope, he reflected on the nature of Christian love, saying it is rooted not in power, but in self-giving.

"Jesus' journey reveals to us that the willingness to lose oneself, to empty oneself, is not an end in itself, but a condition for encounter and intimacy," Pope Leo said. "Love is true only when it is unguarded."

 

He said true peace is not found in remaining comfortable, but in embracing the risk and detachment that mission requires. Calling it a "fundamental secret of mission," the pope said "everything is restored and multiplied if it is first let go, without fear,” a process repeated “in every new beginning, in every new sending forth."

 

God calls upon the faithful to take risks, so "no place becomes a prison, no identity a hiding place," he said. Every mission requires reconciliation with the past, with the "gifts and limitations of the upbringing we have received," the pope said.

 

Once the faithful are able to detach from what is familiar and comfortable, Pope Leo said they must then "encounter" the other through selfless service and the sharing of life. This detachment, he said, creates the conditions for authentic encounter rather than control.

He emphasized that it is a priority that "neither in the pastoral sphere nor in the social and political spheres can good come from abuse of power."

 

He pointed to the example of missionaries, a role he held as an Augustinian in Peru, whose work must be rooted in service, dialogue and respect.

 

Rather than seeking to "reconquer" increasingly secular societies, the pope said Catholics must approach as guests, not to impose, but to listen and accompany.

 

The Church's mission, the pope said, is guided by the Holy Spirit, and the faithful must not try to control it but instead follow its lead, entering each culture with humility and "respecting the mystery that every person and every community carries within them."

 

In his third point, the pope explained that this mission is not a "heroic adventure" reserved only for a few, but rather the "living witness of a Body with many members," and every mission includes rejection and suffering.

 

He recalled that the people of Nazareth were filled with rage when they heard Jesus' words and drove him out of the town. Every Christian must "pass through" a trial just as Jesus did, the pope said.

 

"The cross is part of the mission: the sending becomes more bitter and frightening, but also more freeing and transformative," he said.

 

A successful mission is not about the results, but rather about the disciple's faithfulness and hope in God. Jesus embarked on a journey "in a world torn apart by the powers that ravage it," Pope Leo said.

"Within it arises a new people, not of victims, but of witnesses," he said.

 

 

Saturday, March 28, 2026

Jerusalem cancels Palm Sunday procession

 



Pope condemns ‘scandal’ of war

as Jerusalem cancels Palm Sunday procession

 

Patrick HudsonAili Winstanley Channer 

23 March 2026, The Tablet 

 

The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem designated 28 March to pray the Rosary ‘to implore the gift of peace and serenity, especially for those suffering because of the conflict’.

 

Pope Leo again voiced his “dismay” at the war in the Middle East as he appealed for a halt to violence around the world.

“We cannot remain silent in the face of the suffering of so many defenceless people who are victims of these conflicts,” he said after the Angelus on Sunday, deploring how the Middle Easy “like other regions of the world is torn apart by war and violence”.

“What hurts them hurts all of humanity. The death and pain caused by these wars is a scandal for the entire human family and a cry that rises to God,” the Pope said.

“I strongly renew my appeal to persevere in prayer, so that hostilities may cease and paths to peace may finally open, based on sincere dialogue and respect for the dignity of every human person.”

 

On Monday, in an address to a delegation from Italy’s national airline ITA Airways, Pope Leo condemned the use of aircraft for bombings, insisting that aeroplanes “should always be carriers of peace, never of war”.

“No one should be afraid that threats of death and destruction might come from the sky,” he said. “After the tragic experience of the twentieth century, aerial bombings should have been banned forever.”

 

He condemned the “regression” of technological development “being placed at the service of war”.

 

Israel continued to exchange strikes with Iran and its proxies last week, leading the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem to cancel its Palm Sunday procession from the Mount of Olives into Jerusalem and to postpone the Chrism Mass for the diocese.

 

“The restrictions imposed by the conflict and the events of recent days do not bode well for any imminent improvement,” said the Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa in an announcement on Sunday confirming that large public liturgies would not take place.

“In constant dialogue with the competent authorities, together with the other Christian Churches, we are evaluating how, in the ways to be agreed upon, we can celebrate the central mystery of our salvation in the heart of our Churches.”

 

He said this was “a wound that adds to the many others inflicted by the conflict” but urged Catholics to continue to pray for peace, designating 28 March to pray the Rosary “to implore the gift of peace and serenity, especially for those suffering because of the conflict”.

 

The announcement followed reports that the Church of the Holy Sepulchre faces closure during Holy Week, which prompted Church leaders in Jerusalem to confirm that liturgies would continue even if the public could not attend.

 

On Saturday, the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land said in a statement: “The community of Franciscan friars present at the Holy Sepulchre has never ceased, day or night, to carry out the scheduled celebrations, the rites, the daily processions, and the liturgical prayers according to the provisions of the Status Quo [the agreement governing shared use of the church].

“Even during these days, although access to the basilica is restricted to the faithful for security reasons, prayer continues unceasingly in the Holy Places.”

 

On Tuesday, the Palestinian and Israeli women’s movements Women of the Sun and Women Wage Peace will together lead a barefoot walk through Rome to call for compassion, justice, and peace.  

 

In May 2024 Pope Francis signed their “Mothers’ Call” for a future of peace, freedom, equality, rights and security for children and the next generations.  

“For decades, mothers on both sides have borne the unbearable – grieving children lost to violence and fearing for those who remain,” the groups said in a statement. “From this shared pain comes an extraordinary act of courage: Palestinian and Israeli mothers walking together, barefoot, for peace.

“Walking barefoot is a universal gesture of humility and humanity. It is also a way to reconnect with the land that has absorbed both blood and tears, to feel the pain that unites mothers everywhere and the earth that sustains us all.  Every step we take is a call for life, for safety, for the future every child deserves.”

….

Pope condemns ‘scandal’ of war as Jerusalem cancels Palm Sunday procession - The Tablet