Pope Leo delivered an unusually forceful message on Palm Sunday, denouncing leaders who wage war and stating that God rejects their prayers. Speaking to tens of thousands in St Peter's Square, the pontiff said Jesus cannot be used to justify any form of warfare.
“This is our God: Jesus, King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war,” Leo declared. He cited a Bible passage: “Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: your hands are full of blood.”
Although the Pope did not name any specific leaders, his remarks come amid escalating criticism of the ongoing conflict in Iran. The war began with joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on February 28, and some U.S. officials have invoked Christian language to justify military action.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has started leading prayer services at the Pentagon, recently prayed for “overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy.” The Pope has repeatedly called for an immediate ceasefire and condemned indiscriminate airstrikes.
Leo referenced the biblical account of Jesus rebuking a follower who used a sword during his arrest, emphasising that Jesus “did not arm himself, or defend himself, or fight any war. He revealed the gentle face of God, who always rejects violence.”
