Pope Leo XIV unequivocally rejected the justification of war through religious belief on Sunday, delivering a Palm Sunday homily focused on peace and offering prayers for Christians facing hardship in the Middle East. The address, delivered before tens of thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square, came as conflicts continue in Ukraine and the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran enters its second month.
Leo’s message centered on the assertion that God is fundamentally a “king of peace” and actively opposes violence. “Brothers and sisters, What we have is our God: Jesus, King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war,” he stated. “He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them.”
The Pope’s remarks directly challenge narratives employed by leaders on multiple sides of current conflicts. U.S. Officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, have publicly framed the war in Iran as a righteous undertaking rooted in Christian faith, portraying it as a struggle against adversaries. Similarly, the Russian Orthodox Church has characterized Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a “holy war” against perceived moral decay in the West.
Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem prior to his crucifixion, a pivotal event in Christian theology observed during Holy Week leading up to Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Leo specifically dedicated a blessing at the conclusion of Mass to Christians in the Middle East, acknowledging their suffering “as a consequence of an atrocious conflict” and the disruption of religious observances.
The Pope’s concern for Christians in the Holy Land was underscored by an incident earlier Sunday in Jerusalem, where the Latin Patriarchate reported that Israeli police prevented Catholic Church leaders from accessing the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the site believed to be where Jesus was crucified. This marked the first time in centuries that church leadership was denied entry for Palm Sunday celebrations. Israeli police stated the denial was part of broader security measures closing all holy sites in the Old City, while affirming a commitment to freedom of worship “subject to necessary restrictions.”
Leo emphasized the importance of remembering those suffering globally during Holy Week, urging reflection on the plight of those experiencing hardship akin to Christ’s Passion. “Their trials appeal to the conscience of all,” he said. “Let us raise our prayers to the Prince of Peace so that he may support people wounded by war and open concrete paths of reconciliation and peace.”
The start of Holy Week also evokes recent memories of Pope Francis’s health struggles. Last year, Francis was still recovering from a five-week hospitalization for pneumonia when Holy Week began. He delegated liturgical duties but appeared to greet the faithful from the loggia of St. Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday, a moment his nurse, Massimiliano Strappetti, later described as a cherished final public appearance before his death from a stroke the following day.
Pope Leo is scheduled to preside over the remaining Holy Week ceremonies, including the traditional foot-washing ritual on Holy Thursday. He is restoring the practice to the Basilica of St. John Lateran, a departure from Pope Francis’s custom of performing the ceremony in prisons or refugee centers. While Francis’s approach emphasized service to the marginalized and included washing the feet of individuals from diverse faiths, Leo’s return to the basilica aligns with the practice of his predecessors, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope John Paul II, who typically washed the feet of twelve priests.
On Good Friday, Leo will lead the procession at the Colosseum commemorating the Passion of Christ. The Easter Vigil, during which new Catholics will be baptized, will accept place on Saturday night, followed by Easter Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Square and the traditional Easter blessing delivered from the basilica’s loggia.
