Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday greeted some 35 young Catholic Palestinians from the West Bank at his last weekly general audience of the year.
    The group left Jerusalem and several villages in the West Bank, arriving in Italy on December 28 thanks to a twinning program initiated by Jesuit Father Massimo Nevola, spiritual assistant of the Christian Life Communities (CVX) in Italy.
    During his greetings in English, the Pope mentioned, among others, the pilgrims from Palestine, while during his greeting to the Arabic-speaking faithful, he mentioned "in particular the young people from the Holy Land, coming from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem." Accompanying the Palestinian youths were Father Elias Tabban, parish priest of Zababdeh, a village near Jenin, and Franciscan Father Johnny Jallouf, parish priest in Beit Hanina (East Jerusalem).
    During their visits to various sites in Rome, the young Palestinians also had the opportunity to greet President Sergio Mattarella at the Quirinale Palace two days ago.
    In his remarks to the faithful in a chilly but bright St Peter's Square, Leo said "the pilgrimages this past year (for the Catholic Holy Year Jubilee) remind us that life is a journey".
   
   

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