Pope Leo XIV calls for end to 'barbarism of war'

VATICAN CITY – Pope Leo XIV called for the end of the violence and 'barbarism' in war during his Wednesday audience at Saint Peter’s Square, recalling his predecessor Pope Francis’s strong opposition to armed conflict. 

 The American pontiff started off his catechesis by talking about Jesus as a healer and imploring people to think about a situation in which they too have felt “stuck” or “paralysed” and the importance of not losing hope. The most pressing part of his speech, however, fell during the appeal in which Leo spoke of the heartbreak felt within the church for those at war in Ukraine, Iran, Israel and Gaza. He urged that it is not necessary for us to become accustomed to war and the use of high-tech weapons is a “temptation” that must be resisted. 

 Despite the use of modern technology, Leo stated that, wars in the 21^st century have led us to “a far superior type of barbarism with regard to that which we faced in the past.” Thus, he urged us all “in the name of human dignity and international law” to denounce war and recall that which Pope Francis would always say that, “war is always a defeat.”

 The pope then finished his appeal by quoting Pius XII when he said that, “nothing is lost with peace. Everything can be lost with war.” With Leo’s upcoming peace talks with Russia and Ukraine, one can only hope that today’s remarks will not fall upon deaf ears. 

og