April 13, 2026
Since his election on May 8, 2025, Pope Leo XIV has continued his predecessors' practice of commenting briefly on world conflicts and disasters, urging prayers for their victims. These typically occur during regular Wednesday General Audiences and after Sunday Angelus / Regina Cæli reflections. He calls for similar prayers on other appropriate occasions as well. Since May 2025, Dialogika has maintained a running list of such remarks, focusing on those involving Christian-Jewish relations or the Middle East. In some cases, his concerns about other parts of the world are included to indicate the global perspective of the pontiff. However, since the start of the joint United States and Israel war against Iran, which began on February 28, 2026, the pontiff's statements have become more frequent. They increasingly express his alarm about the glorification of war and claims of divine approbation of it coming from political and military leaders.
... I have heard from many how the Algerian people show great generosity toward both their fellow citizens and foreigners. This disposition reflects a hospitality deeply rooted in Arab and Berber communities, a sacred duty which we would hope to find everywhere as a fundamental social value. Similarly, almsgiving is a common and natural practice among you, even for those of limited means. The word sadaka can also mean justice, in the sense that we do not keep things for ourselves but share what we have as a matter of justice. The one who accumulates wealth and remains indifferent to others is unjust. This view of justice is both simple and radical for it recognizes the image of God in others. Indeed, a religion without mercy and a society without solidarity are a scandal in God’s eyes. Yet many societies that consider themselves advanced are plunging ever deeper into inequality and exclusion. Africa knows all too well that people and organizations that dominate others destroy the world, which the Most High has created in order that we might all live together. ... Today, this is more urgent than ever in the face of continuous violations of international law and neocolonial tendencies. ... The Mediterranean, on the one hand, and the Sahara, on the other, represent geographical and spiritual crossroads of immense significance. If we delve into their history, free from simplifications or ideologies, we discover immense treasures of humanity hidden there. For the sea and the desert have been places of mutual enrichment among peoples and cultures for millennia. Woe to us if we turn them into graveyards where hope also dies! ...
[Replies to several reporters' questions on a plane flight to Algeria.]
The message of the Gospel is very clear: "Blessed are the peacemakers." I will not shy away from announcing the message of the Gospel ... inviting all people to look for ways of building bridges for peace and reconciliation, of looking for ways to go forward at any time that is possible. To put my message on the same plane as what the President is attempting to do here, I think is not understanding what the message of the Gospel is. I am sorry to hear that, but I will continue on with what I believe is the mission of the Church in the world today.
I do not look at my role as being political, a politician. I don't want to get into a debate with him. I don't think that the message of the Gospel is meant to be abused in the way that some people are doing. And I will continue to speak out loudly against war, hoping to promote peace, promoting dialogue and multilateral relationships among the states, to look for just solutions to problems. Too many people are suffering in the world today; too many innocent people are being killed. And I think someone has to stand up and say there's a better way to do this.
I have no fear neither of the Trump administration nor speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do, what the Church is here to do. We're not politicians, we're not here to make foreign policy, as he calls it, with the same perspective that he might understand it, but I do believe in the message of the Gospel, "blessed are the peacemakers," is a message that the world needs to hear today.
Today, many Eastern Churches celebrate Easter according to the Julian calendar. In communion of faith in the Risen Lord, I extend my heartfelt wishes for peace to all these communities. I accompany these wishes with my fervent prayer for all those suffering due to war, particularly for the dear people of Ukraine. May the light of Christ bring comfort to afflicted hearts and strengthen the hope for peace. May the international community’s attention to the tragedy of this war not waver!
In these days of sorrow, fear, and unwavering hope in God, I feel closer than ever to the beloved people of Lebanon. The principle of humanity, inscribed in the conscience of every person and recognized in international law, entails a moral obligation to protect the civilian population from the horrific effects of war. I call on the parties in the conflict to declare a ceasefire and urgently seek a peaceful solution.
Next Wednesday marks the third anniversary of the start of the bloodstained conflict in Sudan. How much the Sudanese people are suffering, innocent victims of this inhuman tragedy!I renew my fervent appeal to the warring parties to silence their weapons and begin, without preconditions, a sincere dialogue aimed at ending this fratricidal war as soon as possible.
In these days of the Octave of Easter, we believe deeply in the presence of the risen Jesus among us. Now, united in the prayer of the Holy Rosary, asking for the intercession of our Mother Mary, we want to tell the whole world that it is possible to build peace, a new peace; that it is possible to live together with all peoples of all religions, of all races; that we want to be disciples of Jesus Christ united as brothers and sisters, all united in a world of peace. ... Prayer [provides] a barrier to that delirium of omnipotence that is becoming more and more unpredictable and aggressive around us. The balance in the human family is seriously destabilized. Even the holy Name of God, the God of life, is drawn into the discourses of death. A world of brothers and sisters with only one Father in heaven then disappears and, as in a nightmare, reality is populated with enemies. Threats are heard everywhere, instead of calls to listen and meet. Brothers and sisters, those who pray are aware of their own limitations, do not kill and do not threaten death. On the other hand, those who have turned their backs on the living God are enslaved to death, in order to make themselves and their power a mute, blind and deaf idol (cf. Ps 115:4-8), to whom every value is sacrificed and the whole world demands that the whole world bend the knee. Enough with the idolatry of oneself and money! Enough with the exhibition of forcea! Enough with war! True strength is manifested in serving life.
Dear brothers and sisters, there are certainly imperative responsibilities of the leaders of nations. To them we shout: stop! It is the time of peace! Sit at the tables of dialogue and mediation, not at the tables where rearmament is planned and actions of death are deliberated! However, there is, no less great, the responsibility of all of us, men and women of many different countries: an immense multitude that repudiates war, with deeds, not just in words. Prayer commits us to convert what remains violent in our hearts and minds: let us convert to a Kingdom of peace that is built day by day, in homes, schools, neighborhoods, civil and religious communities, stealing ground from controversy and resignation with friendship and the culture of encounter. Let us go back to believing in love, moderation, good politics. Let us form ourselves and pray in the first person, each responding to his or her own vocation. Everyone has their place in the mosaic of peace!
Those who pray are aware of their own limitations; they do not kill or threaten with death. Instead, death enslaves those who have turned their backs on the living God, turning themselves and their own power into a mute, blind, and deaf idol (Ps 115:4-8), to which they sacrifice every value, demanding that the whole world bend its knee. Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Enough of the display of power! Enough of war! True strength is shown in serving life. #Peace
Absurd and inhuman violence is spreading ferociously through the sacred places of the Christian East, profaned by the blasphemy of war and the brutality of business, with no regard for people’s lives, which are considered at most collateral damage of self-interest. But no gain can be worth the life of the weakest, children, or families. No cause can justify the shedding of innocent blood.
God does not bless any conflict. Anyone who is a disciple of Christ, the Prince of Peace, is never on the side of those who once wielded the sword and today drop bombs. Military action will not create space for freedom or times of peace, which comes only from the patient promotion of coexistence and dialogue among peoples.
Dear Excellencies, dear Brother Bishops ... Accompany the lay faithful, providing them with pastoral care, so that they may feel encouraged, despite all trials, to remain firm in the faith received from the Fathers and to remain in their territories. This is important for the whole Church, because the regions where the light of faith has arisen – orientale lumen – cannot do without believers in Jesus, Christians, who are to the Middle East as the stars are to heaven. May the clouds that obscure this light clear: may Christians throughout the Middle East be respected, not just in words: may they enjoy true religious freedom and full citizenship, without being treated as guests or second-class citizens! Brothers, you are signs of hope in a world marked by absurd and inhuman violence, which in this time, moved by greed and hatred, is spreading with ferocity precisely in the lands that have seen the rise of salvation, in the sacred places of the Christian East, profaned by the blasphemy of war and the brutality of business, without regard for the lives of the people, considered at most as a side effect of one's own interests. But no interest can be worth the lives of the weakest, of children, of families; No cause can justify the innocent blood shed. You, called to be tireless peacemakers in the name of Jesus, help us to proclaim clearly that God does not bless any conflict; to cry out to the world that those who are disciples of Christ, the prince of peace, are never on the side of those who yesterday took up the sword and today throw bombs; to remind us that it will not be military actions that will create spaces of freedom or times of peace, but only the patient promotion of coexistence and dialogue between peoples.
In the light of these hours of great tension, in the Middle East and for the whole world, I welcome with satisfaction and as a sign of genuine hope, the announcement of an immediate two-week truce. Only through a return to negotiation can an end to the war be achieved. I urge that this period of delicate diplomatic work be accompanied by prayer in the hope that openness to dialogue may become the means to resolve other situations of conflict around the world.
“[Pope Leo said to a group of journalists,] 'Today, as we all know, there has also been this threat against the entire people of Iran. And this is truly unacceptable! There are certainly issues of international law here, but even more, it is a moral question concerning the good of the people as a whole, in its entirety. ... We have a worldwide economic crisis, an energy crisis, and a situation in the Middle East of great instability, which is only provoking more hatred throughout the world.'" [article full text]
His Holiness Pope Leo XIV is glad to be able to express to you, on this Easter Day and amidst the tragic circumstances you are facing, his paternal closeness and affection. He extends his message of consolation and compassion to all Christians in southern Lebanon and to all those suffering the consequences of the war. Today, we celebrate the Lord’s Resurrection. May you, amidst your feelings of sorrow, anguish and mourning, experience today in your hearts a deeper joy: Jesus has gloriously triumphed over death. It is a joy that comes from heaven and which nothing can take from you. In your misfortune, in the injustice you suffer, in the sense of abandonment you feel, you are very close to Jesus. You are close to Him too on this Easter Day when He conquered the forces of evil, and which resonates for you as a promise of the future. So do not lose heart! None of your prayers, none of your acts of solidarity, none of the sighs of weariness you utter are lost: Our Lady of Lebanon keeps everything in her heart and brings it to her Son. Pope Leo XIV imparts the Apostolic Blessing to each one of you, and to all your loved ones.
[Today's Gospel reading] invites us to reflect on the value of Christian witness and the integrity of human communication. Often, the proclamation of truth is obscured by what we today call “fake news” — lies, insinuations, and unfounded accusations. Yet, in the face of such obstacles, the truth does not remain hidden; rather, it comes forth to meet us, living and radiant, illuminating even the deepest darkness. Just as he spoke to the women at the tomb, Jesus says to us today: “Do not be afraid; go and tell” (v. 10). In this way, he himself becomes the Good News to be witnessed in the world. The Passover of the Lord is our Passover — the Passover of all humanity — for this man who died for us is the Son of God, who gave his life for us. Just as the risen One, ever living and present, frees the past from a destructive end, so the Easter proclamation redeems our future from the tomb.
Dear friends, how important it is that this Gospel reach, above all, those oppressed by the evil that corrupts history and confuses consciences! I think of peoples afflicted by war, of Christians persecuted for their faith, of children deprived of an education. To proclaim the Paschal mystery of Christ in both word and deed means to give a new voice to hope — a hope otherwise stifled by the hands of the violent. Wherever it is proclaimed, the Good News sheds light upon every shadow, in every age.
... Brothers and sisters, through his resurrection, the Lord confronts us even more powerfully with the dramatic reality of our freedom. Before the empty tomb, we can be filled with hope and wonder, like the disciples, or with fear like the guards and the Pharisees, forced to resort to lies and subterfuge rather than acknowledge that the one who had been condemned is truly risen (cf. Mt 28:11–15)!
In the light of Easter, let us allow ourselves to be amazed by Christ! Let us allow our hearts to be transformed by his immense love for us! Let those who have weapons lay them down! Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace! Not a peace imposed by force, but through dialogue! Not with the desire to dominate others, but to encounter them!
We are growing accustomed to violence, resigning ourselves to it, and becoming indifferent. Indifferent to the deaths of thousands of people. Indifferent to the repercussions of hatred and division that conflicts sow. Indifferent to the economic and social consequences they produce, which we all feel. There is an ever-increasing “globalization of indifference,” to borrow an expression dear to Pope Francis, who one year ago from this loggia addressed his final words to the world, reminding us: “What a great thirst for death, for killing, we witness each day in the many conflicts raging in different parts of the world!” (Urbi et Orbi Message, 20 April 2025).
The cross of Christ always reminds us of the suffering and pain that surround death and the agony it entails. We are all afraid of death, and out of fear we turn away, preferring not to look. We cannot continue to be indifferent! And we cannot resign ourselves to evil! Saint Augustine teaches: “If you fear death, love the resurrection!” (Sermon 124, 4). Let us too love the resurrection, which reminds us that evil is not the last word, because it has been defeated by the Risen One. ...
[Meditation on the First Station: Jesus is condemned to death]
Lord Jesus, in your dialogue with Pilate, you unmasked every human presumption of power. Even today, there are those who believe their authority is limitless, thinking they may use or abuse it at their whim. Your words to the Roman Prefect leave no room for ambiguity: “You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above” (Jn 19:11).
Saint Francis of Assisi, who simply sought to follow in your footsteps, reminds us that every person in authority will have to answer to God for the way they exercise their power: the power to judge; the power to start or end a war; the power to instill violence or peace; the power to fuel the desire for revenge or for reconciliation; the power to use the economy to oppress people or to liberate them from misery; the power to trample on human dignity or to uphold it; and the power to promote and defend life, or reject and stifle it.
Each of us is likewise called to account for the power that we exercise in our daily lives. To us also, Jesus says: “Make good use of the power given to you, and remember that whatever you do to another human being, especially to the small and vulnerable, you do unto me. And it is to me that you will one day give an account.”
[After several scriptural citations to Jesus as the King of Peace, the Pope continued:]
Brothers and sisters, this is our God: Jesus, King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war. He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them, saying: “Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: your hands are full of blood” (Is 1:15). As we set our gaze upon him who was crucified for us, we can see a crucified humanity. In his wounds, we see the hurts of so many women and men today. In his last cry to the Father, we hear the weeping of those who are crushed, who have no hope, who are sick and who are alone. Above all, we hear the painful groans of all those who are oppressed by violence and are victims of war.
Christ, King of Peace, cries out again from his cross: God is love! Have mercy! Lay down your weapons! Remember that you are brothers and sisters!
At the beginning of Holy Week, our prayers are more than ever with the Christians of the Middle East, who are suffering the consequences of a brutal conflict and, in many cases, are unable to observe fully the liturgies of these holy days. Just as the Church contemplates the mystery of the Lord’s Passion, we cannot forget those who today are truly sharing in his suffering. Their ordeal challenges all our consciences. Let us raise our prayer to the Prince of Peace that he may sustain the peoples wounded by war and open concrete paths to reconciliation and peace.
With dismay I continue to follow the situation in the Middle East, which like other regions of the world is torn apart by war and violence. We cannot remain silent in the face of the suffering of so many defenseless people who are victims of these conflicts. What hurts them hurts all of humanity. The death and pain caused by these wars is a scandal for the entire human family and a cry that rises to God! I strongly renew my appeal to persevere in prayer, so that hostilities may cease and paths to peace may finally open up, based on sincere dialogue and respect for the dignity of every human person.
Dear brothers and sisters,
For two weeks now, the peoples of the Middle East have been suffering the horrific violence of war. Thousands of innocent people have been killed, and countless others have been forced to flee their homes. I renew my prayerful closeness to all who have lost loved ones in the attacks, which have struck schools, hospitals and residential areas.
The situation in Lebanon is a cause for great concern. I hope that avenues for dialogue will emerge to support the country’s Authorities in implementing lasting solutions to the serious crisis currently unfolding, for the common good of all the Lebanese people.
On behalf of the Christians of the Middle East, and of all women and men of good will, I appeal to those responsible for this conflict: cease fire! May paths of dialogue be reopened! Violence can never lead to the justice, stability and peace for which the peoples are waiting.
Deeply disturbing news continues to arrive from Iran and the entire Middle East. In addition to the episodes of violence and devastation as well as the widespread climate of hatred and fear, there is also the concern that the conflict will spread and that other countries in the region, including beloved Lebanon, may again sink back into instability.
I am following with deep concern what is happening in the Middle East and in Iran during this tumultuous time. Stability and peace are not achieved through mutual threats, nor through the use of weapons, which sow destruction, suffering, and death, but only through reasonable, sincere, and responsible dialogue.
Faced with the possibility of a tragedy of immense proportions, I make a heartfelt appeal to all the parties involved to assume the moral responsibility of halting the spiral of violence before it becomes an unbridgeable chasm. May diplomacy regain its proper role, and may the well-being of peoples, who yearn for peaceful existence founded on justice, be upheld. And let us continue to pray for peace.
In these days, troubling news has also arrived of clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan. I urgently appeal for a return to dialogue. Let us pray together that harmony may prevail in all conflicts throughout the world. Only peace, a gift of God, can heal the wounds between peoples.
I express my concern about the rise of antisemitic hatred in the world, as unfortunately we saw with the terrorist attack in Manchester a few days ago. I continue to be saddened by the immense suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza.
In recent hours, in the dramatic situation in the Middle East, some significant steps forward have been taken in peace negotiations, which I hope will achieve the desired results as soon as possible. I ask all those in positions of responsibility to commit themselves to this path, to bring about a ceasefire and to release the hostages. At the same time, I urge everyone to remain united in prayer, so that the ongoing efforts may put an end to the war and lead us towards a just and lasting peace.
[Not about Israel and Gaza but human devastation elsewhere.] To the intercession of the Saints and the Virgin Mary, we entrust our unceasing prayer for peace, especially in the Holy Land and Ukraine, and in every other land blood-stained by war. To those in power, I repeat: listen to the voice of conscience! The apparent victories achieved with weapons, which sow death and destruction, are in reality defeats and never bring peace or security! God does not want war, he wants peace, and he strengthens those who are committed to leaving behind the spiral of hatred and taking the path of dialogue.
[Not about Israel and Gaza but human devastation elsewhere.] Dramatic news is coming from Sudan, in particular from Darfur. In El Fasher, many civilians have been trapped in the city, victims of famine and violence. In Tarasin, a devastating mudslide has claimed many lives, leaving pain and desperation in its wake. And, as if that were not enough, the spread of cholera is threatening hundreds of thousands of already stricken people. I am closer than ever to the Sudanese population, in particular families, children and the displaced. I pray for all the victims. I make a heartfelt appeal to leaders and to the international community to guarantee humanitarian corridors and implement a coordinated response to stop this humanitarian catastrophe. It is time to initiate a serious, sincere and inclusive dialogue between the parties to end the conflict and restore hope, dignity and peace to the people of Sudan.
[Not about Israel and Gaza but human devastation elsewhere.] Sadly, the war in Ukraine continues to sow death and destruction. Even in recent days, bombings have struck several cities, including the capital Kyiv, causing numerous casualties. I renew my closeness to the Ukrainian people and to all the injured families. I ask everyone not to give in to indifference, but to draw close to them through prayer and concrete gestures of charity. I strongly reiterate my urgent appeal for an immediate ceasefire and a serious commitment to dialogue. Now is the time for those responsible to renounce the logic of weapons and take the path of negotiation and peace, with the support of the international community. The voice of weapons must be silenced, while the voice of fraternity and justice must be raised.
Last Friday we accompanied our brothers and sisters who are suffering because of wars, with prayer and fasting. I once again issue a strong appeal to the parties involved as well as to the international community, so that an end may be put to the conflict in the Holy Land, which has caused so much terror, destruction, and death.
I implore that all the hostages be freed, that a permanent ceasefire be reached, that the safe entry of humanitarian aid be facilitated, and that humanitarian law be fully respected, especially the obligation to protect civilians as well as prohibitions of collective punishment, indiscriminate use of force, and the forced displacement of the population. I join the joint Declaration of the Greek-Orthodox Patriarch and the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, who yesterday asked “to put an end to this spiral of violence, to end the war, and to prioritize people’s common good”.
Let us implore Mary, Queen of Peace, source of consolation and hope: may her intercession obtain reconciliation and peace in that land which is so dear to us all!
Next Friday, 22 August, we will celebrate the memorial of Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary is the Mother of believers here on earth, and is also invoked as Queen of Peace, while our earth continues to be wounded by wars in the Holy Land, in Ukraine, and in many other regions of the world.
I invite all the faithful to devote the day of 22 August to fasting and prayer, imploring the Lord to grant us peace and justice, and to dry the tears of those who suffer as a result of the ongoing armed conflicts. Mary, Queen of Peace, intercede so that peoples may find the path to peace.
In communion with Christ, our peace and hope for the world, we are closer than ever to young people who suffer the most serious evils, which are caused by other human beings. We are with the young people of Gaza, we are with the young people of Ukraine, with those of every land bloodied by war. My young brothers and sisters, you are the sign that a different world is possible: a world of fraternity and friendship, where conflicts are not resolved with weapons but with dialogue.
My heart is close to all those who are suffering due to conflict and violence throughout the world. In particular, I pray for those affected by the clashes along the border between Thailand and Cambodia, especially displaced children and families. May the Prince of Peace inspire everyone to seek dialogue and reconciliation.
I also pray for the victims of violence in southern Syria.
I am following with great concern the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, where the civilian population is suffering from severe hunger and remains exposed to violence and death. I renew my heartfelt appeal for a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and the full respect of humanitarian law.
Every human person possesses an inherent dignity, bestowed by God himself. I urge all parties involved in conflicts to recognize this dignity and to end every action that violates it. I call for negotiations aimed at securing a future of peace for all peoples, and for the rejection of anything that might jeopardize it.
I entrust to Mary, Queen of Peace, the innocent victims of conflicts and those leaders who have the power to resolve them.
I express my profound sadness regarding last Thursday’s attack by the Israeli army on the Catholic Parish of the Holy Family in Gaza City, which as you know killed three Christians and gravely wounded others. I pray for the victims, Saad Issa Kostandi Salameh, Foumia Issa Latif Ayyad, Najwa Ibrahim Latif Abu Daoud, and I am particularly close to their families and to all the parishioners. Sadly, this act adds to the continuous military attacks against the civilian population and places of worship in Gaza.
I again call for an immediate halt to the barbarism of the war and for a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
I renew my appeal to the international community to observe humanitarian law and to respect the obligation to protect civilians, as well as the prohibition of collective punishment, the indiscriminate use of force and the forced displacement of the population.
To our beloved Middle Eastern Christians, I say: I deeply sympathise with your feeling that you can do little in the face of this grave situation. You are in the heart of the Pope and of the whole Church. Thank you for your witness of faith. May the Virgin Mary, woman of the Levant, dawn of the new Sun that has risen in history, protect you always and accompany the world towards the dawn of peace.
This morning, in his residence at Castel Gandolfo, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV spoke by telephone with His Excellency Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, following yesterday’s military attack by the Israeli army that struck the Church of the Holy Family in Gaza, killing three people and injuring others, including some seriously.
During the conversation, the Holy Father repeated his appeal for a renewed push for negotiations, a ceasefire and an end to the war. He again expressed his concern about the tragic humanitarian situation of the population in Gaza, whose children, elderly and sick are paying an agonizing price.
Finally, His Holiness reiterated the urgent need to protect places of worship and, especially, the faithful and all people in Palestine and Israel.
Last Sunday, a heinous terrorist attack was carried out against the Greek Orthodox community in the Church of Mar Elias in Damascus. We entrust the victims to God’s mercy and we offer our prayers for the wounded and their families. I say to the Christians of the Middle East: I am close to you! The whole Church is close to you!
This tragic event recalls the profound fragility that Syria still faces after years of conflict and instability. It is therefore essential that the international community not ignore this country, but continue to offer support through gestures of solidarity and a renewed commitment to peace and reconciliation.
We continue to follow carefully and with hope the developments in Iran, Israel and Palestine. The words of the prophet Isaiah resound with urgent relevance: “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Is 2:4). May this voice, which comes from the Most High, be heard! May the wounds caused by the bloody actions of recent days be healed. Let us reject arrogance and revenge, and instead resolutely choose the path of dialogue, diplomacy and peace.
Sisters and brothers, let us continue to pray that weapons may be silenced everywhere and that peace may be achieved through dialogue.
Alarming news continues to emerge from the Middle East, especially from Iran. Against this tragic backdrop, which includes Israel and Palestine, people’s daily suffering, especially in Gaza and the other territories, where the need for adequate humanitarian aid is becoming increasingly urgent, risks being forgotten.
Today more than ever, humanity cries out and calls for peace. This is a cry that requires responsibility and reason, and it must not be drowned out by the din of weapons or the rhetoric that incites conflict. Every member of the international community has a moral responsibility to stop the tragedy of war before it becomes an irreparable chasm. There are no “distant” conflicts when human dignity is at stake.
War does not solve problems; on the contrary, it amplifies them and inflicts deep wounds on the history of peoples, which take generations to heal. No armed victory can compensate for the pain of mothers, the fear of children, or stolen futures.
May diplomacy silence the weapons! May nations chart their futures with works of peace, not with violence and bloodstained conflicts!
The Church is brokenhearted at the cry of pain rising from places devastated by war, especially Ukraine, Iran, Israel and Gaza. We must never get used to war! Indeed, the temptation to have recourse to powerful and sophisticated weapons needs to be rejected. Today, when “every kind of weapon produced by modern science is used in war, the savagery of war threatens to lead the combatants to barbarities far surpassing those of former ages” (Second Vatican Council, Pastoral Constitution, 79). For this reason, in the name of human dignity and international law, I reiterate to those in positions of responsibility the frequent warning of Pope Francis: War is always a defeat! And that of Pope Pius XII: “Nothing is lost with peace. Everything may be lost with war.”
Now, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, let us ask from the Holy Spirit the gift of peace. First of all, peace in our hearts, for only a peaceful heart can spread peace in the family, society and international relations. May the Spirit of the risen Christ open paths of reconciliation wherever there is war; may he enlighten those who govern and give them the courage to make gestures of de-escalation and dialogue.
May the Virgin Mary bless families everywhere and sustain them in their trials. I think especially of those families suffering due to war in the Middle East, in Ukraine and in other parts of the world. May the Mother of God help us to press forward together on the path of peace.
Appeal: In these days, my thoughts turn often to the Ukrainian people, affected by serious new attacks against civilians and infrastructure. I assure all the victims, in particular children and families, of my closeness and my prayer. I strongly reiterate my appeal to stop the war and to support every initiative of dialogue and peace. I ask everyone to join in prayer for peace in Ukraine and wherever there is suffering because of war.
In the Gaza Strip, the cry of mothers, of fathers who clutch the lifeless bodies of children and who are continually forced to move in search of a little food and safer shelter from bombing, rises ever more intensely to the sky. I renew my appeal to the leaders: cease fire, release all hostages, fully respect humanitarian law. Mary Queen of Peace, pray for us.
With these sentiments, our prayer embraces all those peoples suffering because of war. Let us implore courage and perseverance for those engaged in dialogue and in the sincere search for peace.
In the joy of faith and communion, we cannot forget our brothers and sisters who are suffering because of war. In Gaza, the surviving children, families and elderly are reduced to starvation. In Myanmar, new hostilities have cut short innocent young lives. Finally, war-torn Ukraine awaits negotiations for a just and lasting peace.
The immense tragedy of the Second World War ended eighty years ago, on 8 May, after having claimed sixty million victims. In today’s dramatic scenario of a piecemeal third world war, as Pope Francis stated many times, I too address the world’s leaders, repeating the ever-timely appeal: “Never again war!”.
I carry in my heart the sufferings of the beloved Ukrainian people. May everything possible be done to reach an authentic, just and lasting peace, as soon as possible. Let all the prisoners be freed and the children return to their own families.
I am deeply saddened by what is happening in the Gaza Strip: may there be an immediate ceasefire! Let humanitarian aid be provided to the stricken civil population, and let all the hostages be freed.
On the other hand, I have welcomed with satisfaction the announcement of the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, and I hope that through the upcoming negotiations, a lasting accord may be reached soon.