March 29, 2026 | 08:45 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Pope Leo XIV on Sunday, March 29, 2026, issued a rare and pointed warning, stating that God rejects the prayers of leaders who wage war and have “hands full of blood,” as the US-Israel war with Iran entered its second month.
Speaking to tens of thousands of faithful in St. Peter’s Square on Palm Sunday—the start of Holy Week leading up to Easter for the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics—the Pope emphasized that Jesus cannot be invoked to justify any conflict.
“This is our God: Jesus, King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war,” Leo, the first American Pope, told the crowd under clear skies, according to GMA News.
“[Jesus] does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them, saying: 'Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: your hands are full of blood',” he added, quoting the Bible.
Although Leo did not name specific world leaders, his remarks mark a sharp escalation of his criticism of the US-Israel military campaign against Iran. The Pope, known for his careful choice of words, has repeatedly called for an immediate ceasefire. Last Monday, he described military airstrikes as indiscriminate and said they should be banned.
Some US officials have framed the joint US-Israeli attack on Iran, which began on February 28, in Christian terms. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who now leads Christian prayer services at the Pentagon, prayed on Wednesday for “overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy.”
Leo referenced a passage from the Bible in which Jesus, moments before His arrest, rebuked a disciple for striking the man sent to capture Him.
“[Jesus] did not arm himself, or defend himself, or fight any war," Leo said. "He revealed the gentle face of God, who always rejects violence. Rather than saving himself, he allowed himself to be nailed to the cross.”
Read: U.S. Deploys 3,500 Marines Amid Escalating Iran Conflict
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