Pope Leo said today that God rejects the prayers of leaders who initiate wars and “stain their hands with blood,” in an unusually strong statement as the war in Iran enters its second month.
Addressing tens of thousands of faithful in St. Peter’s Square on Catholic Palm Sunday, the Pontiff stressed that the name of Jesus cannot be used to justify war.
“This is our God: Jesus, the King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war,” said the Pope.
“Jesus does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them, saying: ‘Even though you pray much, I will not listen to you; your hands are full of blood,’” he added, citing a passage from the Bible.
The head of the Roman Catholic Church did not name specific world leaders, but has intensified his criticism of the war in Iran in recent weeks.
The Pope, known for his careful choice of words, has repeatedly called for an immediate ceasefire and said last week that aerial and indiscriminate attacks should be banned.
Some U.S. officials have invoked Christian rhetoric to justify the joint U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran on February 28, which marked the beginning of the conflict.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, both at the Pentagon and during a service on Wednesday, prayed for “overwhelming force against those who deserve no mercy.”
Pope Leo today also referred to a biblical passage in which Jesus, shortly before His arrest and crucifixion, rebuked one of His followers for striking the one who had come to arrest Him.
“Jesus did not take up arms, nor did He defend Himself, nor engage in battle. He revealed the gentle face of God, who always rejects violence. Instead of saving Himself, He allowed Himself to be nailed to the Cross,” the Pontiff concluded.
