War and Faith: A Call for Peace

Pope Leo XIV opened his first Palm Sunday sermon by warning that many leaders use religion to justify fighting. He spoke to the crowd in St. Peter’s Square about Christians who are trapped in wars in places like the Middle East and Ukraine. The pope called Jesus “King of Peace” and said that no one can use him to support war. His words seemed aimed at officials like U. S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who has mixed Christian themes into his speeches about military actions. Since the U. S. began air strikes on Iran, Hegseth has spoken about God and used religious language to rally support. He even prayed for victory over Iran’s leaders, saying the attacks were a form of “retribution. ”In contrast to that tone, Leo urged people to follow Jesus’ example. He said that walking with Jesus means looking at his suffering and loving others. The pope quoted a passage from the Bible that says God is “our peace. ” He also called for breaking down barriers between people and with God. At the end of Mass, the pope focused on Christians in war zones who cannot celebrate normally. He highlighted how violence affects holy days and mentioned that Israeli police had stopped a Palm Sunday Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. This service marked the start of Holy Week, a period that leads up to Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. It was the first Holy Week presided over by Leo as pope, following the death of his predecessor, Pope Francis. Since taking office, Leo has spoken out against harsh policies such as the U. S. immigration crackdown.