Pope Leo’s historic first trip; and, is this the most chilling Christmas carol?

This week, Ashley and Zac debrief Pope Leo XIV's first international trip to Turkey and Lebanon, where he preached a strong message of peace and Christian unity, and shared insights from the conclave that elected him.

Then, they speak to their colleague and America's senior audio producer, Maggi Van Dorn, about the new season of her podcast, "Hark! The Stories Behind Our Favorite Christmas Carols." They reflect on Maggi's reporting trip to Coventry, England, a place of historic violence and home of the haunting Christmas hymn, "The Coventry Carol".

Links:

Pope Leo and Patriarch Bartholomew urge Christian unity at Nicaea commemoration

In Turkey, Pope Leo pushes for unity and peace—within and beyond Christianity

Pope Leo makes a strong pitch for peace in war-threatened Lebanon

Pope Leo meets survivors of Beirut port explosion and calls for peace as he concludes Lebanon visit

Pope Leo on what he was thinking inside the conclave

Listen to “Hark! The Stories Behind Our Favorite Christmas Carols” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and at AmericaMagazine.org/Hark

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