Pope Leo published a video on Thursday in which he prayed for global leaders to renounce war as a method of resolving disputes, an appeal that came while the U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign against Iran continued into its sixth day.
In the recorded message, the pontiff asked for divine guidance for political leaders, saying, "Lord, enlighten the leaders of the nations, so they may have the courage to abandon projects of death." He added: "Today we lift up our prayer for peace in the world, asking that nations renounce weapons and choose the path of dialogue and diplomacy."
Pope Leo issues a video each month to present his stated prayer intentions. For March, his intention was identified as "for disarmament and peace." It was not clear from available information whether Thursday’s video was produced specifically in reaction to the U.S.-Israeli military campaign, which has triggered a broader regional conflict with Iranian attacks reported in Israel, the Gulf and Iraq, and Israeli strikes in Lebanon.
The Vatican did not immediately answer a question about when the video was recorded, leaving the timing of the recording unclear.
In a related and more direct diplomatic expression, the Vatican’s top diplomat offered a strong critique on Wednesday, saying that the strikes by the United States and Israel undermined international law and that nations did not have a right to launch "preventive wars." Cardinal Pietro Parolin warned: "If states were to be recognised as having a right to 'preventive war' ... the entire world could risk going up in flames." The remark represented an unusually forthright rebuke of the military campaign.
Reiterating themes from his video, the pope called on God to help the world grasp that "true security does not come from control fuelled by fear but from trust, justice and solidarity among peoples."
The public statements from Pope Leo and Cardinal Parolin form part of the Vatican’s current messaging on the conflict, emphasizing disarmament, diplomacy and adherence to international law while leaving some operational details - such as the recording date of the pontiff’s video - unresolved.
Summary
Pope Leo released his monthly prayer video asking leaders to renounce war and choose diplomacy as a U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign against Iran entered its sixth day. The Vatican’s secretary of state criticized the strikes as undermining international law and rejected the concept of "preventive wars." Uncertainty remains about when the pontiff’s video was recorded.