‘God Rejects War’: Pope Leo Denounces War and Its Religious Justification
Pope Leo denounced war and its religious justification as Israel blocks Christian leaders from the Holy Sepulchre during Palm Sunday celebrations.
Key Takeaways
- Pope Leo rejects use of Christianity to justify war, calling for ceasefire.
- Remarks contrast with US officials invoking religious language in support of war.
- Israel restricts Christian access to Holy Sepulchre during major religious observance.
Pope Leo: ‘God Rejects War’
Pope Leo delivered a direct rebuke of war and its religious justification on Palm Sunday, warning against invoking Christianity to legitimize violence.
“This is our God: Jesus, King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war,” he said, according to Reuters news agency, adding that Christ “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war.
“(Jesus) does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them, saying: ‘Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: your hands are full of blood’,” he said, citing a Bible passage.
Without naming specific leaders, the pope’s remarks come amid growing criticism of the US-Israeli war on Iran. He warned that Christians in the Middle East “are suffering the consequences of an atrocious conflict,” raising concerns that many may not be able to observe key religious occasions.
Leo has repeatedly called for an immediate ceasefire, stressing that military airstrikes are indiscriminate and should be banned.
The pope’s message stands in contrast to rhetoric emerging from Washington, where some officials have framed the war in moral or religious terms.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has led Christian prayer services at the Pentagon, recently prayed for “overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy.”
Leo appeared to counter such narratives by invoking the example of Jesus before his crucifixion.
“He did not arm himself, or defend himself, or fight any war,” the pope said. “He revealed the gentle face of God, who always rejects violence.”
Holy Sepulchre Restrictions
These developments come as Israeli occupation authorities imposed restrictions on Christian worship in occupied Jerusalem.
According to a joint statement released by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land, Israeli occupation forces prevented Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Father Francesco Ielpo from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Sunday morning.
The two church leaders were reportedly stopped “while proceeding privately and without any characteristics of a procession or ceremonial act” as they made their way to celebrate Palm Sunday Mass, and were “compelled to turn back.”
The statement stressed that “for the first time in centuries, the Heads of the Church were prevented from celebrating the Palm Sunday Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.”
It described the incident as “a grave precedent” that disregards “the sensibilities of billions of people around the world who, during this week, look to Jerusalem.”
(PC, Reuters, Vatican News)