Pope Leo XIV declares God “does not listen to the prayer of those who wage war” in a Palm Sunday homily, calling for a ceasefire in the Middle East.
VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo XIV delivered a stark spiritual warning in his Palm Sunday homy, stating that God “does not listen to the prayer of those who wage war”.
The pontiff described a deity who “refuses war” during his address at St Peter’s Square.
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” following the Angelus prayer.
Earlier in the week, the pope had called for a ceasefire in the ongoing Middle East war, highlighting that more than a million people had been displaced from their homes.
He urged the warring parties to engage in dialogue to end the conflict.
The first American pope has repeatedly condemned the violence and advocated for peaceful talks since the conflict began.
Pope Leo XIV, aged 70, has maintained a cautious tone in his public statements following the initial US-Israeli strikes on Iran that ignited the war on February 28.
His recent condemnations and appeals for peace have deliberately refrained from naming any specific party to the conflict.