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Pope Leo XIV turns 70 and thanks God, his parents and all those who prayed for him
- On September 13, 2025, Brian Burch, a 50-year-old devout Catholic and father of nine, formally presented his credentials as the new U.S. ambassador to Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican's Apostolic Palace.
- In December 2024, President Donald Trump announced his intention to appoint Burch as ambassador, and the Senate confirmed him on August 2 with a 49-44 party-line vote, marking the end of his tenure as president of CatholicVote.
- During a private and warm meeting in the Vatican library, Burch and Pope Leo discussed global conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, religious freedom, the Vatican-China relationship, the AI revolution, and the recent assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
- The ambassador characterized the encounter as very warm and informal, comparable to a conversation with a close friend from Chicago, and gifted the Pope a customized Portillo's chocolate cake in celebration of his 70th birthday on Sunday.
- Burch underscored the distinctive nature of the U.S.-Holy See relationship as crucial for advancing peace, human dignity, and prosperity, while Pope Leo stressed that political disagreements should not be settled through violence and expressed his prayers for Kirk’s widow and children.
227 Articles
227 Articles
Pope Leo XIV marked his 70th birthday by thanking God, his parents and those who prayed for him during the traditional midday blessing in St. Peter's Square. Thousands of faithful gathered with balloons, banners and placards wishing him well, cheering as he addressed the crowd. "Dear friends, you seem to know today that I turned 70," the pope said, drawing a round of applause. He also expressed gratitude to God, his parents and all those who rem…
Thousands of Visitors Celebrate Pope Leo’s Birthday in St. Peter’s Square
Pope Leo XIV raises his glass as cardinals, Vatican officials and ecumenical leaders toast his 70th birthday Sept. 14, 2025, after a prayer service at Rome’s Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. (Photo: CNS/Vatican Media) by Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Dozens of small handmade signs and large bold banners waved in the crowd of some 30,000 visitors in St. Peter’s Square wishing Pope Leo XIV a happy birthday Sept. 14. Two gold mylar balloo…
In first interview, Pope Leo XIV takes on billionaires, polarization and war
VATICAN CITY – In his first interview as leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV talked about his concerns about income inequality, polarization and the need for peace.“We have to continue to remind ourselves of the potential that humanity has to overcome the violence and the hatred that is just dividing us more and more,” Leo said in the interview. “We live in times when polarization seems to be one of the words of the day, but it’s not hel…
Thousands gather at Vatican to celebrate Pope Leo XIV’s 70th birthday
Thousands of the Catholic faithful packed St. Peter’s Square in Rome on Sunday to celebrate the 70th birthday of Pope Leo XIV, the first pontiff from the United States. The pope appeared on the balcony of the Apostolic Palace for his regular Sunday blessing, greeted by a festive crowd holding balloons, banners and signs wishing him a happy birthday. “I thank my parents, I thank God, and I thank all those who have remembered me in prayer,” he tol…
Pope Leo celebrates 70th birthday
VATICAN CITY (NBC, KYMA) - Pope Leo celebrated his 70th birthday Sunday. The Catholic faithful filled St. Peter's Square at the Vatican to offer their well wishes. As Pope Leo stood on the balcony overlooking the square for his traditional noon blessing, he saw a sea of people, many waving balloons, and "Happy Birthday" banners in all languages to mark the milestone. Groups of Peruvian believers, including dancers in traditional attire, were out…
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