‘Violence Cannot Bring Peace’: Pope Leo Again Urges Ceasefire In Iran War

Last Updated:March 15, 2026, 21:23 IST

Pope Leo XIV urged a Middle East ceasefire, calling for dialogue over violence. He highlighted Lebanon's crisis and condemned civilian attacks.

Pope Leo XIV on Sunday issued his strongest appeal yet for a ceasefire in the Middle East, urging leaders involved in the conflict with Iran to halt hostilities and reopen diplomatic channels.

Speaking at the end of his traditional Sunday noon blessing in the St. Peter’s Square, the pope called on those responsible for the conflict to immediately stop the violence.

“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," he 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."

Although the Pope did not directly name the United States or Israel, his remarks referenced attacks that have struck civilian areas, including schools, hospitals and residential neighbourhoods.

He  specifically mentioned a school that was hit during the early days of the war, an apparent reference to the missile strike on an elementary school in Iran that killed more than 165 people, many of them children. US officials have said outdated intelligence may have contributed to the strike and that an investigation is underway.

The Vatican has highlighted the scale of the tragedy in its official newspaper L’Osservatore Romano, which published an aerial image of a mass grave being dug for the victims under the headline “The Face of War".

Pope Leo said he felt close to the families of those killed in attacks that have hit schools, hospitals and residential centres, and voiced particular concern about the humanitarian impact of the conflict in Lebanon, where aid groups are warning of a worsening crisis.

The situation in southern Lebanon is especially sensitive for the Vatican because the region hosts long-standing Christian communities that have historically served as an important presence for Christianity in the largely Muslim Middle East.

Since the conflict began roughly two weeks ago, Pope Leo has repeatedly urged restraint and diplomacy. According to Vatican observers, he has called for de-escalation and dialogue at least four times since the fighting started, though his earlier statements were more cautious and avoided direct references to the parties involved.

His careful tone reflects an effort to maintain the Vatican’s long-standing diplomatic neutrality and avoid appearing as an American political counterweight to Donald Trump.

Even as the Pope has kept his messaging measured, several senior church figures have spoken more openly against the war. Robert McElroy described the conflict as morally unjustifiable, while Blase Cupich criticised what he called the White House’s use of video-game imagery in social media posts about the war.

Meanwhile, the Vatican’s top diplomat Pietro Parolin rejected Washington’s characterisation of the conflict as a “preventive war", though he said the Holy See continues to keep channels of dialogue open with all sides.

“The Holy See speaks with everyone," Parolin said earlier this week. “When necessary, we speak with the Americans and the Israelis and show them what we believe are the solutions."

News world ‘Violence Cannot Bring Peace’: Pope Leo Again Urges Ceasefire In Iran War

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