Pope Leo XIV meets with Panamanian bishops and Orthodox Patriarch

Pope Leo XIV held high-level meetings at the Vatican to discuss the Church's role in global affairs and regional support. During an ad limina visit, the Pope met with bishops from Panama, led by José Domingo Ulloa, president of the Panamanian Episcopal Conference. The discussions focused on the Church's mission to act as a bridge for dialogue, support vulnerable populations, and address the needs of migrants. The Pope also expressed solidarity with communities in Panama affected by recent earthquakes.

In a separate meeting, the Pope received Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople. The two leaders discussed the necessity of ecumenical dialogue and Christian unity amidst increasing geopolitical polarization and social fragmentation. Bartholomew I emphasized that the Church must remain active in the world to promote peace, justice, and human dignity rather than retreating from society. He noted that the act of churches gathering to discern together is a vital commitment to communion, even when full agreement is difficult to reach.