The Pope condemned wars and the prayers of leaders with "hands stained with blood"
On Palm Sunday, Pope Leo XIV declared that God rejects the prayers of those leaders who start wars and are responsible for bloodshed.
This was reported by Reuters.
Addressing tens of thousands of believers in St. Peter’s Square, the Pontiff called the conflict in Iran “horrific” and emphasized that Jesus cannot be used to justify wars.
“This is our God: Jesus, the King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war, who does not listen to the prayers of those who start wars, but rejects them, saying: ‘Even if you pray a lot, I will not listen: your hands are full of blood,’” noted Leo XIV.
The Pope did not name specific world leaders, but in recent weeks he has intensified his criticism of the war in Iran. At the end of his address, he expressed sympathy for Christians in the Middle East who are suffering due to the conflict and may not be able to celebrate Easter.
Leo XIV also called for an immediate ceasefire, emphasized the indiscriminate nature of military airstrikes, and called for a ban on their use. In this context, he noted that some American officials resort to religious rhetoric to justify U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.
Previously, Pope Leo had strongly condemned the airstrikes, calling them uncontrolled and something that should be banned. He reiterated his call for an end to the war and emphasized a humanistic approach.
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