Pope Leo XIV Called for a Stop to War Before It Becomes an “Irreparable Maelstrom”

From the window of the Apostolic Palace, Pope Leo XIV expressed his concern about the situation in the Middle East this Sunday and warned of the risk of a spiral of violence following the recent US bombing of Iranian territory.

“The moral duty of every member of the international community is to stop the tragedy of war before it becomes an irreparable maelstrom,” the pontiff stated during the traditional Angelus prayer before thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square.

The Pope lamented the “alarming news” coming from Iran, a country attacked the previous night by US forces. In his speech, he noted that the escalation between powers threatens to relegate the daily suffering of the civilian population, especially in areas like Gaza and other Palestinian territories, where humanitarian assistance, he said, becomes more urgent every day.

“Today more than ever, humanity cries out and calls for peace,” he maintained, emphasizing that this cry “must not be stifled by the roar of arms or by rhetorical words that incite conflict.”

In a message addressed to international leaders, the Pope recalled that “there are no distant conflicts when human dignity is at stake” and warned that “war does not resolve problems but rather amplifies them.”