Pope Leo XIV Rejects Religious Justification for War in Assisi Address
Pope Leo XIV condemns the use of religion to justify global conflicts, declaring that only peace is holy during a message to religious leaders in Assisi.
POLICY WIRE — Rome, Italy — Pope Leo XIV issued a firm condemnation on Tuesday against the use of religious rhetoric to justify ongoing global conflicts, asserting that there is no such thing as a holy war.
In a video message delivered to an interfaith gathering in the Italian town of Assisi, the pontiff emphasized that only peace is holy. The American pope, who is currently recovering from lung cancer surgery performed on Oct. 13, was unable to attend the event in person.
The assembly, which included the Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally alongside various Muslim, Buddhist, and Christian leaders, marked the 40th anniversary of a historic interfaith peace meeting originally convened by St. John Paul II. Leo warned against the troubling revival of war as a tool of international politics, stating that conflict can never be waged in the name of God.
The Vatican is simultaneously scaling up humanitarian efforts in Ukraine, following the implementation of a localized cease-fire in Oleshky. Monsignor Luis Marín de San Martín has launched a three-day mission to deliver essential supplies, including winter clothing and food, to regions such as Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, and Fastiv.
These diplomatic and humanitarian initiatives follow direct communications between Pope Leo XIV and both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. During these discussions, the pope advocated for the safe evacuation of civilians and the consistent delivery of medical and food aid to those affected by the war.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
