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Pope Leo Urges End to 'madness of War' as Us, Iran Start Talks
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 11, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 11, 2026
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At a prayer vigil on April 11, Pope Leo XIV decried the "madness of war," urging world leaders to choose dialogue over rearmament. His appeal coincides with high‑level U.S.‑Iran talks in Islamabad aimed at stabilizing a fragile ceasefire following a six‑week conflict.
Pope Leo Urges End to War as US, Iran Open Talks for Peace
By Joshua McElwee
Pope Leo's Appeal for Peace Amid US-Iran Conflict
VATICAN CITY, April 11 (Reuters) - Pope Leo https://www.reuters.com/world/pope/ on Saturday urged world leaders to end what he called the "madness of war," in an impassioned appeal as senior U.S. and Iranian officials met in Pakistan nL1N40U01A to discuss ending the six-week conflict.
Special Prayer Vigil and Papal Statements
At a special prayer vigil in St. Peter's Basilica, the first U.S. pope decried the use of religious language to justify war and said a "delusion of omnipotence that surrounds us ... is becoming increasingly unpredictable".
Direct Appeal to World Leaders
Making a direct appeal to world leaders, he said: "Stop! It is time for peace! Sit at the table of dialogue and mediation, not at the table where rearmament is planned."
Pope Leo's Criticism of the Iran War
Leo, who is known for choosing his words carefully, has emerged nL8N40L06Y as an outspoken critic of the Iran war https://www.reuters.com/world/iran/.
Condemnation of Conflict and Use of Forceful Language
On Saturday, he used forceful language to denounce conflict, citing letters from children in war zones he said described "horror and inhumanity".
Historical Context: Church Opposition to War
The pope also referenced the Church's opposition to the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, citing an appeal by the late Pope John Paul II made four days before the start of that conflict.
"Enough of the idolatry of self and money!" Leo said. "Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!"
Religious Rhetoric and War Justification
The pope, who on March 30 said God rejects the prayers of leaders who start wars and have "hands full of blood nL1N40H029," denounced again on Saturday the use of Christian language to justify war.
"The balance within the human family has been severely destabilized," said Leo. "Even the holy Name of God, the God of life, is being dragged into discourses of death."
Reactions to Papal Comments
The pope's earlier comments were interpreted by conservative Catholic commentators as aimed at U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has invoked Christian language https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/evangelicals-amplify-trumps-religious-framing-iran-war-2026-04-08/ to justify the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran that initiated the war.
Announcement of Special Prayer Service
Saturday's special prayer service was announced by Leo last Sunday, in the pope's Easter message.
(Reporting by Joshua McElwee. Editing by Jane Merriman)
Key Takeaways
- •Pope Leo XIV condemned the invocation of religion to justify war, urging leaders to “Stop! It is time for peace!” and warning against the unpredictability of omnipotent delusions (apnews.com)
- •The prayer vigil coincided with historic face‑to‑face U.S.‑Iran negotiations in Islamabad, brokered by Pakistan, after a fragile two‑week ceasefire agreed on April 8 entered its seventh week (apnews.com)
- •The ceasefire followed six weeks of intense conflict triggered by U.S.‑Israeli strikes on Iran’s leadership and infrastructure; Pakistan’s mediation was pivotal in brokering the temporary pause (en.wikipedia.org)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Pope Leo urges end to 'madness of war' as US, Iran start talks
1What did Pope Leo urge world leaders to do?
Pope Leo urged world leaders to end the 'madness of war' and pursue peace through dialogue and mediation.
2When did senior US and Iranian officials meet to discuss the conflict?
Senior US and Iranian officials met in Pakistan as part of efforts to end the six-week conflict.
3What language did Pope Leo criticize in his appeal?
Pope Leo criticized the use of religious language to justify war and condemned the display of power and violence.
4How did Pope Leo reference past conflicts in his speech?
He cited the Church's opposition to the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq and an appeal by Pope John Paul II.
5What recent statements of Pope Leo were directed at US officials?
Pope Leo's earlier comments about God rejecting prayers from leaders who start wars were seen as directed at US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
