"Watching the Situation in the Middle East with Concern"
Pope Leo XIV is speaking at the Bishop Jubilee meditation event held on the 25th at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. Photo by EPA Yonhap News
Pope Leo XIV has urged Israel and Iran to break the cycle of retaliation and choose the path of peace.
According to Yonhap News, citing Italy’s ANSA news agency, the Pope stated during the Wednesday general audience held at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican on the 25th (local time), “I am watching the recent situation in the Middle East with concern and hope.”
The Pope quoted Isaiah 2:4 from the Bible: “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore,” and said, “Let us listen to this voice coming from on high.”
He went on to emphasize, “We must heal the wounds caused by the bloody actions that have continued for some time, reject all logic of harassment and retaliation, and resolutely walk the path of dialogue, diplomacy, and peace.”
The Pope also expressed solidarity with the victims of the bombing in Damascus, Syria. Regarding the terrorist attack that occurred on the 22nd at a Greek Orthodox church in Damascus, he said, “This tragic event shows that even after years of conflict and instability, Syria still remains deeply vulnerable,” and added, “The international community must continue to support Syria’s reconciliation and reconstruction.”
These remarks follow the Pope’s public criticism of the U.S. airstrike on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Immediately after the airstrike on the 22nd, the Pope stated on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), “War does not solve problems. On the contrary, it only makes them worse and leaves deep wounds in the history of nations.” He added, “I hope diplomacy will silence weapons. I hope countries will shape their future not through violence stained with blood, but through the practice of peace.”
Pope Leo XIV was elected on May 8 as the first American Pope in the history of the Catholic Church. Since his inauguration, he has consistently expressed opposition to war and violence, and once again called for an end to armed conflict and a diplomatic solution amid the worsening situation in the Middle East.
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