Pope Leo XIV on Sunday used his Angelus address in St Peter’s Square to issue an appeal for peace and moral responsibility as world leaders grapple with the escalation in the Middle East following coordinated airstrikes by the United States and Israel against Iran.
The Holy Father’s words came as global attention focused on the intensifying conflict that began on Saturday with a major joint offensive dubbed “Operation Lion’s Roar”, when US and Israeli forces launched a series of air and missile strikes targeting strategic sites across Iran, including facilities in Tehran and other cities. The operation has triggered fierce retaliation from Tehran, widening hostilities across the region.
In his midday address, the Pope expressed “deep concern” at the “spiral of violence” gripping the Middle East and called urgently for dialogue to replace bloodshed. “Stability and peace are not built through mutual threats, nor through weapons, which sow destruction, pain and death,” he said. He appealed to the parties involved to assume the “moral responsibility of halting the spiral of violence before it becomes an irreparable abyss”, urging nations to return to “reasonable, authentic and responsible dialogue” and calling on the faithful to pray for peace.
The conflict erupted after the US and Israel carried out a coordinated series of strikes on Iran’s military infrastructure, with Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed in the initial bombardment, a development first confirmed by Tehran state media and widely covered across global news agencies. In response, Iran declared days of mourning and launched ballistic missiles and drone attacks against Israeli territory and US bases in Gulf states, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait.
The sudden intensification has drawn alarm from capitals around the world. Airspace closures and flight cancellations have disrupted international travel, with major hubs reporting widespread cancellations amid safety concerns. Dubai and Doha airports have both closed, with Dubai International Airport itself targeted by Iranian strikes, leaving four injured.
Meanwhile, explosions and military exchanges have been reported in multiple countries, with Israel expanding its actions to include strikes on Iranian-aligned Hezbollah targets in Lebanon following rocket launches from Lebanon into Israeli territory.
In his appeal, Pope Leo also referenced “worrying news” from other flashpoints, including hostilities between Pakistan and Afghanistan, urging all parties to seek urgent dialogue and harmony. He reminded the faithful that “only peace, a gift from God, can heal the wounds between peoples”.
In his address, the Pope also noted the suffering of civilians caught in crises unrelated to the Middle East, such as recent floods in Brazil’s Minas Gerais state, and extended greetings to the diverse groups of pilgrims present in St Peter’s Square. His message, marked by calls for compassion and prayer, reflected a broader pastoral concern even as geopolitical turmoil dominated headlines.
Pope Leo concluded by invoking the intercession of the Virgin Mary, urging believers to bring the plight of the world’s conflicted peoples before God: “Let us pray together that harmony may prevail in all the world’s conflicts.”
