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Archbishop of Canterbury Backs Pope Leo's Call for Peace
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 16, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 16, 2026
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The Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, publicly supports Pope Leo XIV’s call for peace amid escalating tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump’s criticism.
Archbishop of Canterbury backs Pope Leo after spat with Trump
Archbishop's Support and Reactions to Trump-Pope Spat
By Muvija M
Background of the Dispute
LONDON, April 16 (Reuters) - The Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, threw her support behind Pope Leo on Thursday, urging 85 million Anglicans worldwide to speak out for peace after U.S. President Donald Trump attacked the pope over his criticism of the war in Iran.
Archbishop Mullally's Statement
In her first public comments addressing Trump's criticism, the leader of the Church of England signalled her solidarity with Leo, who has emerged as an outspoken critic of the war in recent weeks.
Call for Peace
"I stand with my brother in Christ, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, in his courageous call for a kingdom of peace," Mullally, the spiritual head of the Anglican Communion, said in a statement.
"As innocent people are killed and displaced, families torn apart, and futures destroyed, the human cost of war is incalculable. It is the calling of every Christian – and of all people of faith and goodwill – to work and pray for peace."
Pope Leo's Criticism and Trump's Response
Earlier on Thursday, the pope, speaking during a visit to Cameroon as part of a four-country tour of Africa, blasted leaders who spend billions on wars and said the world was "being ravaged by a handful of tyrants".
Religious Rhetoric and Political Tensions
He also sharply criticised leaders who invoked religious themes to justify wars.
Trump, who has been using religious rhetoric to rally his core supporters behind the war in Iran, according to religious and political experts, called the pope "WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy" in a social media post on Sunday.
Appeal for Peaceful Resolution
Mullally also called on Christians to urge those with political authority to pursue "every possible peaceful and just means of resolving conflict".
(Reporting by Muvija M, Catarina Demony and Sam Tabahriti, editing by William James and Alex Richardson)
Key Takeaways
- •Archbishop Mullally aligns with Pope Leo’s advocacy for dialogue over war, reinforcing a Christian call for peace amid the Iran conflict and U.S. presidential backlash (Reuters & AP)
- •Her latest remarks build on her broader commitment to peace, seen in her inaugural Easter sermon calling for an end to Middle East violence (Independent)
- •This sympathy between Anglican and Catholic leaders underscores growing ecumenical unity amid global conflict and political polarization
Frequently Asked Questions about Archbishop of Canterbury backs Pope Leo's call for peace
1What did the Archbishop of Canterbury say about Pope Leo's call for peace?
She expressed her support, calling Pope Leo's statement a courageous call for a kingdom of peace.
2Why was Pope Leo in the news recently?
Pope Leo faced attacks from U.S. President Donald Trump regarding his stance on peace.
3What did the Archbishop encourage people to do regarding peace?
She urged all Christians and people of goodwill to work, pray for peace, and encourage political leaders to seek peaceful solutions.
4How did the Archbishop of Canterbury refer to Pope Leo?
She referred to him respectfully as 'my brother in Christ, His Holiness Pope XIV.'
