ROME — Pope Leo XIV denounced any religious justification for wars raging around the world on Tuesday, stating “there is no such thing as a holy war,” reports BritPanorama.
“Only peace is holy,” Leo emphasized in a video message to a gathering of religious leaders in Assisi, Italy.
Initially, the American pope was scheduled to preside over the event in person but had to cancel his participation as he recovers from Oct. 13 lung cancer surgery.
In his absence, Leo’s videotaped message was shared with delegates, which included the Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally and leaders from various faiths including Muslim and Buddhist representatives.
The assembly marked the 40th anniversary of a landmark interfaith peace meeting convened by St. John Paul II, which, although controversial at that time, led to a movement advocating interreligious peace.
In his message, Pope Leo denounced the “troubling revival of war as an instrument of international politics” and criticized religious justifications put forth by leaders. “War can never be waged in the name of God,” he asserted. “We must rebuild peace everywhere, not prepare for more wars.”
Leaders use religion to justify war
In recent conflicts, such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Orthodox Church has framed the aggression as a “holy war” against what it deems a morally decayed Western civilization. In the ongoing Iran war, leaders from various factions have invoked their faith to justify their military actions, with U.S. officials, particularly Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, portraying the conflict as a Christian-driven mission.
Pope Leo has consistently rejected these rationales as distortions of religion, firmly stating in his first encyclical “Magnificent Humanity” that fighting under the banner of faith amounts to an assault on the essence of religion itself.
Vatican brings new aid to Ukraine
Meanwhile, the Assisi gathering coincides with the Vatican ramping up its humanitarian efforts for Ukraine, particularly following the establishment of a localized ceasefire in the southern city of Oleshky. Monsignor Luis Marín de San Martín embarked on a three-day mission to Ukraine, delivering several truckloads of winter clothing, blankets, and food to Kyiv.
Marín de San Martín’s itinerary includes visits to Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, and Fastiv, as reported by Vatican News.
Pope Leo previously called for ceasefire efforts and humanitarian support during an Oct. 16 conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which he initiated from the hospital where he was recuperating.
Three days later, he followed up with a call to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, reiterating his appeal for a ceasefire and expressing hope for cooperation in delivering aid and enabling the safe evacuation of civilians.
The White House noted that the ceasefire in Oleshky was facilitated by first lady Melania Trump. Vatican foreign minister Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher stated the Vatican did not have insight into the first lady’s involvement but downplayed any disputes over credit for the ceasefire.
“It’s one of those situations in which it doesn’t matter who actually brought it about,” he said, “it’s the fact that hopefully it is real, it will last, it will allow for evacuation and it will allow the arrival of humanitarian aid to help the people who are left behind.”
The Vatican’s humanitarian initiatives follow the recent mission of Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi to Moscow, focusing on humanitarian concerns, including efforts to reunite Ukrainian children taken by Russia with their families. As of now, neither Russia nor Ukraine appears to desire a larger mediating role from the Holy See.
