Neo-Custodian’s Naturalist “Hope” Masks Abandonment of Christ’s Social Reign
Catholic News Agency reports (November 25, 2025) on comments by Francesco Ielpo, recently appointed custodian of Holy Land sites by antipope Leo XIV. The article presents Ielpo’s claim that providing “hope” constitutes the “greatest challenge” for Christians amid Middle Eastern conflicts. He emphasizes maintaining interreligious schools (90% Muslim students in Jericho), preserving salaries, and begging Western pilgrims to return as economic lifelines. The “custos” describes hope as arising from “feeling God’s presence through the Church beside you” while avoiding any mention of conversion, the Social Kingship of Christ, or the supernatural purpose of the Church.


