Pope Leo XIV called the increasing tensions in the Middle East “alarming” and pushed for diplomacy as a path forward.
In a message that did not directly reference U.S. military action in Iran but came just hours after it, Leo said, “Today more than ever, humanity cries out and calls for peace.”
“This is a cry that requires responsibility and reason, and it must not be drowned out by the din of weapons or the rhetoric that incites conflict. Every member of the international community has a moral responsibility to stop the tragedy of war before it becomes an irreparable chasm. There are no ‘distant’ conflicts when human dignity is at stake,” he said after reciting the Angelus prayer in front of thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square.
Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass on Corpus Christi Day in St. John Lateran Archbasilica, in Rome, Sunday, May 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
“War does not solve problems; on the contrary, it amplifies them and inflicts deep wounds on the history of peoples which take generations to heal,” he added.
The U.S. strikes came nearly two weeks after Israel began attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities and its military infrastructure. Iran’s health ministry has said at least 430 people have been killed so far as a result of Israeli missiles, with Israel saying 24 people have been killed from Iranian strikes.
