Vatican & World News Vatican & World News 12.03.2026
Mar 12, 2026
Deborah Castellana-Lubov, Vatican News contributor who covered Pope Leo XIV’s remarks on hospitality and the Holy Family. Nathan Morley, international affairs reporter tracking Middle East strikes and regional escalation. Devin Watkins, Vatican correspondent reporting on papal appointments including the new Papal Almoner. They discuss regional military actions, humanitarian displacement, deadly floods in Ethiopia, and Vatican personnel changes.
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Oil Tankers Hit Signal Regional Escalation
- The Middle East war escalated into oil-targeted strikes affecting tankers and a container ship, signalling broader regional spillover.
- Iran claimed at least one strike near Basra and vowed to block the Strait of Hormuz, raising global shipping and security stakes.
War Drives High Costs And Mass Displacement
- The conflict imposed heavy economic and humanitarian costs including US military expenditures and up to 3.2 million displaced Iranians internally.
- US officials estimate at least $11.3 billion in first-week war costs and UNHRC warns borders and humanitarian access must be protected.
Pray Fast And Push For Ceasefire
- Church leaders call for immediate ceasefire and nonviolent diplomacy as the path to protect vulnerable communities.
- Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi announced a day of prayer and fasting on March 13 and warned Christian communities risk abandoning their ancestral lands.