God blesses no conflict, says the Pope regarding the war in Iran

In a gathering of top bishops of the Chaldean Catholic Church in Iraq, Pope Leon XIV further condemned the war led by the United States and Israel against Iran, stating that “God does not bless any conflict” and does not take sides with those who drop bombs. He expressed that there are signs of hope in a world marked by senseless violence, especially in the lands of early Christianity.

The Pope mentioned that no cause can justify the shedding of innocent blood and encouraged Christians to proclaim clearly that God does not bless any conflict. The Vatican published this statement on Pope Leon XIV’s official account on X to spread the message.

American leaders have been using religion to justify their actions in war, presenting the United States as a Christian nation seeking to defeat its enemies. Despite initially making discreet calls for peace during the early weeks of the conflict, the Pope intensified his criticisms of the Trump administration starting from Palm Sunday, stating that God does not listen to the prayers of those waging war.

The Vatican is particularly concerned about the repercussions of the war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, given the situation of Christian communities in the southern part of the country. A special prayer vigil for peace will be presided over by the Pope in the Basilica of Saint Peter on Saturday.

Despite a growingly critical tone from the Pope, both the Holy See and the American government seemed eager on Friday to downplay rumors of strained relations. These rumors were fueled by an article this week about a supposedly tense meeting in January between the Pentagon and Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the outgoing Vatican ambassador to Washington.

The Vatican clarified that the meeting on January 22 took place well before the start of the war, following a strong but veiled criticism by Pope Leon XIV of the American military intervention. The presence of Cardinal Pierre at the Pentagon meeting was described as part of his regular duties to exchange views on mutual issues. The Vatican stated that the idea of the meeting being acrimonious was not true, and the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See promptly thanked the Vatican for its statement.