After praying the Angelus, Pope Leo calls for an end to violence around the world, urging everyone to persevere in prayer because “we cannot remain silent in the face of the suffering of so many people, innocent victims of these conflicts.”
By Kielce Gussie Despite the rainy weather in Rome, thousands of pilgrims still gathered in St. Peter’s Square to recite the Angelus with Pope Leo XIV. Following the prayer, the Pope expressed his deep concern for the ongoing situation in the Middle East, as well as other areas of the world “torn apart by war and violence.” He stressed that “we cannot remain silent in the face of the suffering of so many people, innocent victims of these conflicts.” This continuous violence wounds everyone—“what harms them, harms all of humanity.” Pope Leo warned that the pain, death, and suffering brought about by these wars “are a scandal to the entire human family and a cry before God.” He then encouraged everyone to persevere in their prayer so that “hostilities may cease and paths of peace, based on sincere dialogue and respect for the dignity of every human being, may finally open.” As the Pope made this appeal, reports on the rising death toll in the Middle East continue to emerge, as violence enters its 23rd day. More than 1,000 people are believed to have been killed in Lebanon, at least 160 people have been injured in Iraninan missile strikes in Israeli towns early Sunday morning, and in the Gulf, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have reported a number of drones and missiles in their airspace. In Iran, the death toll is reported around 1,444 and more than 18,000 injured. Before imparting his Apostolic Blessing, the Pope also greeted the thousands of runners participating in the Rome Marathon—running through the heart of Rome at the same time. Seeing so many athletes from a variety of countries “is a sign of hope”, he exclaimed, expressing his wish that sports can “create paths of peace, social inclusion, and spirituality.”