Pope Leo XIV Allocates Scholarships for Christians in Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq

Pope Leo XIV received members of the Synod of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church of Antioch. In a speech, he expressed his joy at welcoming them on the occasion of the Synod's convening, noting that it "is not merely an administrative procedure but also a moment of communion and service as bishops." He then greeted priests, monks, nuns, seminarians, and all faithful of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, "whether in your homelands or in the diaspora across the world."

He added: "The faithful in many areas of their traditional church suffer from war, instability, religious extremism, and economic difficulties." He emphasized that he is close to them and that the entire Catholic Church stands with them.

The Holy Father then spoke about what he described as the "great calling" of their church, namely to be witnesses of reconciliation and peace in lands torn apart by conflicts.

He subsequently confirmed that the Holy See, thanks to the generosity of many, is working to provide scholarships for believers in Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq to receive a Catholic education, noting that the goal is to support youth so that Christian families can obtain the necessary assistance to remain in the Middle East and preserve the Christian presence.

For its part, the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches announced that Pope Leo XIV decided to allocate scholarships to support Christian students from the most needy families in Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq, covering their children's annual school and university fees.

The Dicastery clarified in a statement that the Supreme Pontiff referred to a pastoral project dedicated to Christian families facing extremely difficult conditions in these countries, during the synod of bishops of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church of Antioch.

Under this decision, the Holy Father directed the provision of scholarships for these communities through the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, to cover the costs of their children's annual school and university tuition.

The statement affirmed that this initiative expresses the paternal care that Pope Leo XIV extends to children, adolescents, young people, and their families, and aims to demonstrate his closeness and that of the entire Catholic Church to the faithful exhausted by conflicts and the state of instability these countries have long suffered.