Pope Leo on War
From Gaza to Ukraine, the new Pope isn't afraid to speak critically
The first American Pope hasn’t shied away from speaking critically about wars involving America. Or its allies. Or its adversaries.
Whether or not you’re Catholic (I’m not), that a figure as prominent as the Pope detests the world’s forever wars is a big deal: even more so since he’s a baseball-loving American from the birthplace of the military industrial complex.
Pope Leo made headlines last week for speaking out against the “barbarity of war” following an Israeli strike that destroyed the only Catholic Church in Gaza.
The vibe of the media coverage implied that the Pope cared because the casualties amongst the civilians who had taken refuge there included Christians. That’s a misread: Leo has been an outspoken critic of today’s wars since he was elected Pope on May 8. By my count of Vatican press releases, Leo has uttered the word “war” on at least two dozen separate days since, addressing not just Gaza but the wars in Ukraine, Iran, Syria and Myanmar, as well as about militarism in general. I’ve produced a timeline of Leo’s remarks on war below.
It’s understandable that Leo’s criticism of the war in Gaza has garnered the most press. Unlike his predecessor, Pope Francis, who tended to focus on humanitarian aid, Leo hasn’t been shy to address war itself or to rebuke the Israeli government, as he did in his call to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following the church strike.
Leo’s comments to Netanyahu are the most pointed I’ve ever seen from an influential global leader, let alone one of the few examples there are of a moral voice in western society. Telling Netanyahu about the “agonizing price” being paid by Gaza’s “children, elderly and sick,” Leo called for an end to the fighting. Per the Vatican’s readout of the call.
“During the conversation, the Holy Father repeated his appeal for a renewed push for negotiations, a ceasefire and an end to the war. He again expressed his concern about the tragic humanitarian situation of the population in Gaza, whose children, elderly and sick are paying an agonizing price.”
In perhaps the most striking break with his predecessor, Leo has also proposed that the Vatican be used as a formal diplomatic channel to host peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, a move that even Donald Trump expressed support for. That surprised me, given Leo’s past characterization of the war as an “imperialist invasion” by Russia — a more pointed geopolitical judgement. (Vice President JD Vance, himself a Roman Catholic, has expressed his respect for the Pope despite their political differences.)
Leo’s most interesting remarks on war, in my view, came in a May 14 address, less than a week after becoming Pope, in which he seems to link war with heresy.
“Let us reject the Manichean notions so typical of that mindset of violence that divides the world into those who are good and those who are evil,” Leo said.
The word “Manichean” nowadays is understood to mean, roughly, black-and-white thinking that sees people as good or evil. But it comes from a historical religion called Manicheaism, espoused by a man called Mani, dating back to the Sasanian Empire in the 3rd century AD. Dualist in nature, Manichaeism elevated the belief in a struggle between good and evil, light and darkness, to a religious worldview, believing that existence itself is a war between these two forces. The Church designated the religion a heresy, in part, I assume, because it was a rival religion, but also on theological grounds that are interesting. Put simply, Christianity maintained that evil was simply the absence of good, not an entity in itself, much less a person, people or faction.
Leo surely knows all of this and is alluding to it when he invokes such a word. And he’s right: war does lead to black-and-white thinking and demonization. Every day on social media I see people snickering about videos depicting the deaths of some sad Russian conscripts, or Ukrainians, and the like.
Even the Pope’s choice of title, “Leo,” calls back to Pope Leo I, who famously met with Attila the Hun and helped to persuade him not to invade Rome in 452 AD.
There’s more to Leo than his anti-war orientation, of course. He talks a lot about the loneliness and atomization brought on by the internet age; and has also raised concerns about artificial intelligence which he urges be handled with care.
But it is Leo’s view on (and interest in) war that is most inspiring, given the state of the world with endless wars grinding on from Europe to the Middle East to Africa and now Asia.
It’s interesting that Leo, the first American Pope, should have such strong skepticism about war. I imagine he’s watched the same litany of endless conflicts that the rest of us have. In this sense I wonder if it’s so much him that’s antiwar as the era he inhabits. Who these days feels optimism about literally any war heading anywhere good, or that it is serving any party’s interest except for those profiting from it?
His sense of deep skepticism, almost cynicism, about war comes through in all sorts of statements he’s made. Here’s one example:
“War does not solve problems. On the contrary, it amplifies them and causes deep wounds in the history of peoples—wounds that take generations to heal. No military victory can ever compensate for a mother’s pain, a child’s fear, or a stolen future.”
Pope Leo XIV has expressed his hope for the din of arms to fall silent. “Let diplomacy silence the weapons!” he said. “Let nations shape their future with works of peace, not through violence and bloody conflicts!”
It is not the statement of some government official or some military commander or some realist expert or even some diplomat. Leo is a religious figure, an American, and a moral leader who represents the victims. He is the very opposite of the other American leader, the one who invokes the use of force gleefully.
Here’s a timeline I put together of the Pope’s most insightful comments on war so you can see for yourself.
“Immediate ceasefire!”
(May 11)
I am deeply saddened by what is happening in the Gaza Strip: may there be an immediate ceasefire! Let humanitarian aid be provided to the stricken civil population, and let all the hostages be freed.
On the other hand, I have welcomed with satisfaction the announcement of the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, and I hope that through the upcoming negotiations, a lasting accord may be reached soon.
But how many other conflicts there are in the world! I entrust this heartfelt appeal to the Queen of Peace, so that she may present it to the Lord Jesus to obtain for us the miracle of peace.
“Reject the paradigm of war”
(May 12)
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus proclaimed: “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Mt 5:9). This is a Beatitude that challenges all of us, but it is particularly relevant to you, calling each one of you to strive for a different kind of communication, one that does not seek consensus at all costs, does not use aggressive words, does not follow the culture of competition and never separates the search for truth from the love with which we must humbly seek it. Peace begins with each one of us: in the way we look at others, listen to others and speak about others. In this sense, the way we communicate is of fundamental importance: we must say “no” to the war of words and images, we must reject the paradigm of war.
“War is never inevitable”
(May 14)
The Holy See is always ready to help bring enemies together, face to face, to talk to one another, so that peoples everywhere may once more find hope and recover the dignity they deserve, the dignity of peace. The peoples of our world desire peace, and to their leaders I appeal with all my heart: Let us meet, let us talk, let us negotiate! War is never inevitable. Weapons can and must be silenced, for they do not resolve problems but only increase them. Those who make history are the peacemakers, not those who sow seeds of suffering. Our neighbours are not first our enemies, but our fellow human beings; not criminals to be hated, but other men and women with whom we can speak. Let us reject the Manichean notions so typical of that mindset of violence that divides the world into those who are good and those who are evil.
The Church will never tire of repeating: let weapons be silenced.
“The first word is peace”
(May 16)
The first word is peace. All too often we consider it a “negative” word, indicative only of the absence of war and conflict, since opposition is a perennial part of human nature, frequently leading us to live in a constant “state of conflict” at home, at work and in society. Peace then appears simply as a respite, a pause between one dispute and another, given that, no matter how hard we try, tensions will always be present, a little like embers burning beneath the ashes, ready to ignite at any moment.
From a Christian perspective – but also in other religious traditions – peace is first and foremost a gift. It is the first gift of Christ: “My peace I give to you” (Jn 14:27).Yet it is an active and demanding gift. It engages and challenges each of us, regardless of our cultural background or religious affiliation, demanding first of all that we work on ourselves. Peace is built in the heart and from the heart, by eliminating pride and vindictiveness and carefully choosing our words. For words too, not only weapons, can wound and even kill.
… there is a need to give new life to multilateral diplomacy and to those international institutions conceived and designed primarily to remedy eventual disputes within the international community. Naturally, there must also be a resolve to halt the production of instruments of destruction and death …
“Gaza…reduced to starvation”
(May 18)
In the joy of faith and communion, we cannot forget our brothers and sisters who are suffering because of war. In Gaza, the surviving children, families and elderly are reduced to starvation. In Myanmar, new hostilities have cut short innocent young lives. Finally, war-torn Ukraine awaits negotiations for a just and lasting peace.
“‘No’ to the arms race”
(May 19)
To all of you, representatives of other religious traditions, I express my gratitude for your participation in this meeting and for your contribution to peace. In a world wounded by violence and conflict, each of the communities represented here brings its own contribution of wisdom, compassion and commitment to the good of humanity and the preservation of our common home. I am convinced that if we are in agreement, and free from ideological and political conditioning, we can be effective in saying “no” to war and “yes” to peace, “no” to the arms race and “yes” to disarmament, “no” to an economy that impoverishes peoples and the Earth and “yes” to integral development.
“Stop the war”
(May 28)
I strongly reiterate my appeal to stop the war and to support every initiative of dialogue and peace. I ask everyone to join in prayer for peace in Ukraine and wherever there is suffering because of war.
In the Gaza Strip, the cry of mothers, of fathers who clutch the lifeless bodies of children and who are continually forced to move in search of a little food and safer shelter from bombing, rises ever more intensely to the sky.
I renew my appeal to the leaders: cease fire, release all hostages, fully respect humanitarian law. Mary Queen of Peace, pray for us.
“The violence of weapons be replaced by the pursuit of dialogue”
(June 6)
Dearest friends, peace is a desire of all peoples, and it is the sorrowful cry of those torn apart by war. Let us ask the Lord to touch the hearts and inspire the minds of those who govern, that the violence of weapons be replaced by the pursuit of dialogue.
“Powerful and sophisticated weapons need to be rejected”
(June 18)
The Church is brokenhearted at the cry of pain rising from places devastated by war, especially Ukraine, Iran, Israel and Gaza. We must never get used to war! Indeed, the temptation to have recourse to powerful and sophisticated weapons needs to be rejected. Today, when “every kind of weapon produced by modern science is used in war, the savagery of war threatens to lead the combatants to barbarities far surpassing those of former ages” (SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL, Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, 79). For this reason, in the name of human dignity and international law, I reiterate to those in positions of responsibility the frequent warning of Pope Francis: War is always a defeat! And that of Pope Pius XII: “Nothing is lost with peace. Everything may be lost with war.”
“Nation shall not lift up sword against nation”
(June 25)
We continue to follow carefully and with hope the developments in Iran, Israel and Palestine. The words of the prophet Isaiah resound with urgent relevance: “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Is 2:4). May this voice, which comes from the Most High, be heard! May the wounds caused by the bloody actions of recent days be healed. Let us reject arrogance and revenge, and instead resolutely choose the path of dialogue, diplomacy and peace.
“Merchants of death”
(June 26)
Our hearts bleed when we think of Ukraine, the tragic and inhumane situation in Gaza and the Middle East, ravaged by the spread of war. All of us, by virtue of our humanity, are called upon to examine the causes of these conflicts, to identify those that are real and to attempt to resolve them. But also to reject those that are false, the result of emotional manipulation and rhetoric, and to make every effort to bring them to light. People must not die because of fake news.
It is truly distressing to see the principle of “might makes right” prevailing in so many situations today, all for the sake of legitimizing the pursuit of self-interest. It is troubling to see that the force of international law and humanitarian law seems no longer to be binding, replaced by the alleged right to coerce others. This is unworthy of our humanity, shameful for all mankind and for the leaders of nations. After centuries of history, how can anyone believe that acts of war bring about peace and not backfire on those who commit them? How can we think that we are laying the foundations of the future apart from cooperation and a global vision inspired by the common good? How can we continue to betray the desire of the world’s peoples for peace with propaganda about weapons buildup, as if military supremacy will resolve problems instead of fueling even greater hatred and desire for revenge? People are beginning to realize the amount of money that ends up in the pockets of merchants of death; money that could be used to build new hospitals and schools is instead being used to destroy those that already exist!
“Hunger as a weapon of war”
(June 30)
On the other hand, we are currently witnessing with despair the iniquitous use of hunger as a weapon of war. Starving people to death is a very cheap way of waging war. That is why today, when most conflicts are not fought by regular armies but by groups of armed civilians with few resources, burning land and stealing livestock, blocking aid are tactics increasingly used by those who seek to control entire unarmed populations. Thus, in this type of conflict, the first military targets become water supply networks and communication routes. Farmers are unable to sell their produce in environments threatened by violence, and inflation soars. This leads to huge numbers of people succumbing to the scourge of starvation and perishing, with the aggravating circumstance that, while civilians languish in misery, political leaders grow fat on the profits of the conflict.
“The barbarism of the war”
(July 20)
Tragic news continues to arrive in these days from the Middle East, especially from Gaza.
I express my profound sadness regarding last Thursday’s attack by the Israeli army on the Catholic Parish of the Holy Family in Gaza City, which as you know killed three Christians and gravely wounded others. I pray for the victims, Saad Issa Kostandi Salameh, Foumia Issa Latif Ayyad, Najwa Ibrahim Latif Abu Daoud, and I am particularly close to their families and to all the parishioners. Sadly, this act adds to the continuous military attacks against the civilian population and places of worship in Gaza.
I again call for an immediate halt to the barbarism of the war and for a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
I renew my appeal to the international community to observe humanitarian law and to respect the obligation to protect civilians, as well as the prohibition of collective punishment, the indiscriminate use of force and the forced displacement of the population.
“A renewed arms race”
(July 25)
The current global context is sadly marked by wars, violence, injustice and extreme weather events, which force millions of people to leave their homelands in search of refuge elsewhere. The widespread tendency to look after the interests of limited communities poses a serious threat to the sharing of responsibility, multilateral cooperation, the pursuit of the common good and global solidarity for the benefit of our entire human family. The prospect of a renewed arms race and the development of new armaments, including nuclear weapons, the lack of consideration for the harmful effects of the ongoing climate crisis, and the impact of profound economic inequalities make the challenges of the present and the future increasingly demanding.
Faced with frightening scenarios and the possibility of global devastation, it is important that there be a growing desire in people’s hearts for a future of peace and of respect for the dignity of all.
— Edited by William M. Arkin
Love this. I am very non-Catholic but have been deeply impressed with Pope Leo so far. Minor tweak: I think you mean Sassanian, not Sanasian. :)
I used to wonder if Pope Francis appearing in Gaza would change things, but he was too sick at that point. I'm glad Pope Leo is not mincing his words.