2nd-12th September 2025, Msgr. Iyad Twal, Patriarchal vicar of Jordan, met with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV along with other bishops who were ordained during the last year 2024-2025.
The Holy Father delivered a message emphasizing that the episcopacy is not a privilege, but a service. He affirmed that the gift they received was granted to them so they may be sent as apostles and servants of the people's faith.
Msgr. Twal spent a ten days at the Holy City, September 2nd till September 12th, and he shared reflecting on his experience, saying: "Over the ten years, i have touched the grandeur and richness of the Catholic Church in such a deep way, the Church which is the living Body of Christ extending through the ages. It was founded on the rock of faith laid by the Lord Jesus in Peter and the apostles, and it has remained faithful to the deposit of faith for two thousand years."
Msgr. Iyad Twal inside of The Tomb of Saint Peter
He added: "The greatness of the Church lies in its universal unity that brings together peoples and cultures under one banner, and in its spiritual richness that manifests in the holy sacraments, sound teaching, and service of love. She is a mother and teacher, enlightening minds with truth, sanctifying souls with grace, and guiding humanity toward hope and salvation."
As for the Pope, he emphasized in his message to the bishops that the bishop's service must be translated into a creative and tangible apostolic style — one that meets current challenges such as the crisis of faith, fatigue from ecclesial practice, and the renewed search for spirituality. He concluded his address with a prayer for the new bishops, that they may not lack the breath of the Holy Spirit and that they may carry the joy of their episcopal ordination to all those they serve.
At the end of the meeting, Msgr. Twal met with the Pope in a fraternal encounter, during which he briefed His Holiness on the situation of the Christians in Jordan and the Middle East.
