Pope Leo calls for immediate peace in Middle East

(MENAFN) Pope Leo XIV issued a heartfelt plea on Sunday, urging an end to the conflict in the Middle East before it spirals into an “irreparable abyss,” following recent U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites and Iran’s retaliatory missile attacks on Israeli cities.

Addressing the public from the Apostolic Palace window after the Angelus prayer, the Pope expressed deep concern over the escalating violence. “We must stop the tragedy of war before it becomes an irreparable abyss,” he said, according to a Vatican release.

He described the current crisis as both “alarming” and “dramatic,” highlighting the risk that the suffering of civilians—especially in Gaza and other affected regions—may be overlooked amid growing hostilities.

“Today more than ever, humanity cries out and pleads for peace,” the pontiff stated, insisting that this urgent call must be met with “responsibility and reason,” rather than drowned out by “the roar of weapons and rhetoric inciting conflict.”

The Pope cautioned that ongoing violence could push the region beyond the point of no return. “There are no distant wars when human dignity is at stake,” he remarked. “War does not solve problems; it amplifies them and inflicts deep wounds in the history of peoples – wounds that take generations to heal.”

He underscored that no military triumph could justify the pain endured by grieving mothers, frightened children, and the stolen futures of young people. “Let diplomacy silence the weapons,” he urged. “Let nations chart their future through acts of peace, not violence and bloody conflict.”

Closing his appeal, he called on the global community to act decisively: “Everyone is called to respond – especially those with responsibilities – to prevent humanity from walking a path with no return.”

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