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By Hollie Silverman
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Pope Leo XIV demanded a ceasefire in the Middle East on Sunday, issuing his strongest appeal yet by addressing the leaders who launched the war in Iran during remarks after his noon blessing at the Vatican in Rome, Italy, the Associated Press reported.
“On behalf of the Christians of the Middle East and all women and men of good will, I appeal to those responsible for this conflict,” the pope said. “Cease fire so that avenues for dialogue may be reopened. Violence can never lead to the justice, stability, and peace that the people are waiting for.”
The pope did not name the United States or Israel and mentioned the missile strike on an elementary school in Minab, Iran, that killed more than 165 people in the opening days of the war, many of them children. Outlet Bellingcat identified the munition as a Tomahawk cruise missile thought to be used in the war by only the U.S., while the AP cited American officials who said it was likely a U.S. strike.
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Why It Matters
Late last month, the U.S. and Israel targeted key military targets in Iran and killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other government leaders. Iran responded by launching missiles and drones targeting Israel and several Gulf Arab states that host U.S. armed forces.
The pope's remarks escalated the Vatican’s public pressure for an end to hostilities, signaling a sharper tone after two weeks of more muted appeals for diplomacy. The Vatican highlighted civilian suffering, including the Minab elementary school strike and broader attacks on schools, hospitals, and residential areas, while also noting humanitarian concerns in Lebanon as aid groups warned of crisis conditions, AP reported.
The call fit within a longer continuum of papal appeals urging ceasefires and adherence to international humanitarian law across the region, including prior statements from 2024 and last year that pressed for immediate halts to fighting and the protection of civilians.
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What To Know
Delivering remarks from a window overlooking St. Peter’s Square, the pope directly addressed those responsible for the conflict and urged them to halt fire and reopen dialogue, marking his strongest comments since the war’s outset.
The pope said he was close to families of those killed in attacks on schools, hospitals, and homes, and expressed concern about the war’s impact on Lebanon where aid groups warned of a humanitarian crisis. Israel has launched strikes on Beirut targeting Iranian-backed Hezbollah after the group launched missiles on the country earlier this month.
The Vatican’s newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, featured an aerial image of mass graves for young victims of the Minab strike on March 6 under the headline “The Face of War,” AP reported.
While the pope avoided naming nations, some U.S. cardinals and the Vatican secretary of state issued sharper remarks.
Washington’s Cardinal Robert McElroy called the war “morally unjustifiable,” while Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich called the White House's social media framing of the war “sickening.” Cardinal Pietro Parolin rejected a U.S. claim of a “preventive war” while stressing ongoing dialogue, AP reported.
“The Holy See speaks with everyone, and when necessary we speak also with the Americans, with the Israelis and show them what to us are the solutions,” Parolin said.
What Happens Next
The Vatican signaled it would keep diplomatic channels open with all parties while pressing for a ceasefire and civilian protections.
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