Pope Leo XIV Rejects Using God to Justify War Amid Rising Middle East Tensions
Pope Leo XIV, the leader of the world’s Catholics, explicitly rejected attempts to legitimize war and killing using the name of God. Speaking on Sunday during the Palm Sunday ceremony at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican, he stated, “God does not listen to the prayers of warmongers; He rejects them,” emphasizing that no one can use God to justify war.
This was the first Holy Week and Easter ceremony for the new pope, recognized as the first pope born in the United States. His remarks came amid escalating military tensions in the Middle East, with recent clashes between the US and Israel with Iran raising widespread fears of a deepening regional crisis.
According to CNN, these comments were seen as an indirect response to statements by Pete Hegseth, the US Secretary of Defense, who had earlier defended the country’s military actions against Iran by quoting sacred texts and claiming divine support for the operation.
The Vatican’s new stance comes at a time when the use of religious rhetoric to justify military actions has often faced criticism from religious and human rights circles. The pope’s emphasis on separating faith from war has once again highlighted the debate over the role of religion in political and military conflicts.
