Pope Leo XIV mourns Lebanese Maronite priest killed by IDF tank fire — prays for civilian victims

Speaking during his weekly audience in Vatican's St. Peter's Square, Pope Leo XIV called Father Pierre al-Rai of the village of Qlayaa in southern Lebanon 'a true pastor who always stood by his people with the love and sacrifice of Jesus the Good Shepherd.' Father Pierre was killed on Monday when a house he was in was hit by Israeli tank fire. The border village of Qlayaa, a Christian community, had not previously been caught up in the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. The Lebanese National News Agency reported the house was 'hit twice in succession by artillery shelling from a hostile Merkava tank.' Pope Leo had earlier released a statement mourning Father Pierre's death. 'As soon as he heard that some of his parishioners had been wounded in a bombing, he rushed to help them without hesitation. May the blood he shed be a seed of peace for beloved Lebanon,' Leo said. The Pope also prayed for peace in Iran and throughout the Middle East, 'especially for the numerous civilian victims, including many innocent children.' Leo visited Lebanon late last year and expressed particular closeness to the Lebanese people. The killing of a Catholic priest in a Christian village by Israeli tank fire — not Hezbollah territory — is a diplomatically sensitive incident that draws Vatican concern and potentially widens international criticism of Israel's Lebanon operations.