Pope Leo XIV issued his most forceful demand for a ceasefire in the Middle East on Sunday, directly appealing to the leaders responsible for the conflict in Iran.
“For two weeks, the peoples of the Middle East have been suffering the atrocious violence of war,” the pope told the crowds gathered for the Angelus.
Addressing the leaders who launched the war in Iran, Leo said, “On behalf of the Christians of the Middle East and all women and men of goodwill, I appeal to those responsible for this conflict.”
“Cease fire so that avenues for dialogue may be reopened. Violence can never lead to the justice, stability, and peace that the people are waiting for,” the Pope said.
During his Sunday noon blessing, Pope Leo refrained from naming the United States or Israel directly, instead appealing for diplomacy and dialogue in line with the Vatican’s longstanding diplomatic tradition.
But history’s first U.S. pope mentioned the attacks that targeted a school, an apparent reference to the missile strike on an elementary school in Iran in the opening days of the war that killed over 165 people, many of them children.
Leo expressed his solidarity with the families of those killed in attacks that have “hit schools, hospitals and residential centres.”
Among the deadliest incidents was a missile strike on a girls’ elementary school in Minab on the war’s opening day, killing between 168 and 180 people, most of them children.
He also expressed grave concern for Lebanon, where Israeli air strikes have killed more than 800 people and displaced over 800,000 from their homes.
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He also voiced particular concern regarding the war’s impact in Lebanon, where aid organisations are warning of an escalating humanitarian crisis.
For the two weeks following the commencement of the conflict, the Pope had limited his public statements to more muted calls for diplomacy and dialogue.
