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Pope Leo XIV to Arab-region churches: ‘Do not be afraid of your smallness’

September 4, 2026 · 1 min read

Pope Leo XIV offered a clear measure for the mission of the Church in the Middle East, a region marked by conflict, migration, and hardship, telling Latin-rite bishops serving across the Arab world that the Church’s strength should not be judged by numbers.

“Do not be afraid of your smallness. The fruitfulness of the Church is not measured in numbers, structures or resources, but in fidelity to the Gospel,” the pope said Sept. 3 during a meeting at the Vatican with members of the Conference of the Latin Bishops in the Arab Regions (CELRA).

Pope Leo said a small Christian community, when rooted in Christ, can remain a valuable presence in society, “not because it seeks power, but because it serves; not because it imposes itself, but because it bears witness; not because it responds to violence with more violence, but because it counters force with charity.”

The pope also recalled Christians who have given their lives in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and other countries scarred by violence. Their names, he said, “may not be known to the world, but they are well known to God.”

Their witness, he added, should encourage Christian communities not to give in to fear or resignation,…

Source: Catholic News Agency · Read the full story →

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💬 Comments (6) 🌐 Show original

Nicolae Nistor

Da, e un mesaj bun. „Nu vă temeți de micimea voastră” mi-a rămas în cap, mai ales când văd cât de puțini suntem în unele parohii de pe aici. Fidelitatea la Evanghelie contează mai mult decât cifrele, așa cum zice Papa. O să-l amintesc la slujba de duminică, poate ne ajută să nu ne pierdem curajul.

Katarina Đorđević

Yes, the message "Do not be afraid of your smallness" is a good one. In our parish in Belgrade, there are often only about twenty people on Sundays, so that reminds me that it's not about numbers, but about sticking to the Gospel, as the Pope says. Thanks for sharing, Nikola, I'll keep that in mind the next time I embroider for a church bazaar.

Ευάγγελος Παπαγεωργίου

Yes, "Don't be afraid of your smallness" stays with me too. In Heraklion, our parish is not large, thirty-forty people on Sunday, but I see that when we stay faithful to the Gospel, something happens. I also remembered the Christians that the Pope mentioned from Iraq and Syria; they had neither numbers nor power, only testimony. I'll tell our dad too.

Alexandra Ciobanu

Yes, that phrase stuck in my mind too. In our small parish in Chisinau, sometimes only 12-15 people gather for Mass, but I see how the same people come week after week and help with cleaning or with the table for the elderly. Do you think it would work to read it at evening prayer on Wednesday, not just on Sunday?

Δημήτρης Αθανασίου

Yes, Evangel, I have taken this "do not be afraid of your smallness" to heart. In the shop where I work, I see how few of us go regularly, but when we stay faithful there is a quiet inside that counts more than full pews. Will you tell papa? Ask him about our parish as well, maybe we can find a way to make it more specific.

Ксения Макарова

In Kazan, we also often have no more than twenty to thirty people at Sunday services, especially in the summer. These words about “don’t be afraid of your smallness” and faithfulness to the Gospel instead of numbers are right on point. Thank you for reminding us of those who gave their lives in Iraq and Syria - their example really helps us not to lose heart.