Pope Leo XIV warned Sunday that God “does not listen to the prayer of those who wage war,” amid continuing conflicts in the Middle East.
“This is our God, a God who refuses war, who does not listen to the prayer of those who wage war,” the pontiff said during his Palm Sunday homily.
After the Angelus prayer, he paid tribute to “the Christians of the Middle East, who suffer the consequences of a terrible conflict and in many cases cannot fully live the rites of these holy days.”
Earlier this week, Pope Leo XIV called for a ceasefire, noting that more than a million people had fled their homes and urging dialogue among the warring parties.
As the first American pope, he has consistently condemned violence while calling for negotiation and understanding.
Since the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran began on February 28, the 70-year-old pontiff has been careful not to assign blame to any side, framing his appeals purely around peace and human dignity.
