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Pope Leo XIV issued a fervent plea for an immediate ceasefire in the ongoing conflict involving Iran, marking his most forceful intervention on the issue to date. Speaking on Sunday, the Pope urged the parties responsible for the hostilities to stop the violence, particularly following devastating strikes that have impacted schools and civilian areas.
According to the Associated Press, these remarks came as part of the Pope’s Sunday noon blessing at the Vatican. During his address, he implored leaders engaged in the conflict to abandon military actions in favor of dialogue and peaceful resolutions.
“In the name of the Christians of the Middle East and all people of goodwill, I make this appeal to those responsible for this conflict,” Pope Leo stated. “Cease the fire, and let us open the doors to dialogue. Violence will never achieve the justice, stability, and peace that so many yearn for.”
While Pope Leo did not specifically mention the United States or Israel, his comments seemed to allude to an early attack in the war that targeted a school in Iran, resulting in the tragic loss of more than 165 lives, including numerous children.
Pope Leo XIV’s call for an immediate ceasefire in the Iran conflict was accompanied by a heartfelt plea for dialogue. (Alberto Pizzoli/AFP via Getty Images)
U.S. officials said the strike may have been based on outdated intelligence, and an investigation into the incident is underway.
The pope said he was particularly close to the families of victims killed in attacks that have struck schools, hospitals and residential areas during the conflict.
He also expressed concern about the impact of the fighting in Lebanon, where aid groups have warned the escalating conflict could trigger a humanitarian crisis.
This picture obtained from Iran’s ISNA news agency shows the site of a strike on a girls’ school in Minab, in Iran’s southern Hormozgan province, on Feb. 28, 2026. (Ali Najafi/ISNA/AFP via Getty Images)
Christian communities in southern Lebanon are of particular concern to the Vatican, as they have long been seen as an important presence for Christians across a largely Muslim region.
For much of the two weeks since the conflict began, Leo has limited his public comments to broader appeals for peace and dialogue while avoiding direct references to the U.S. or Israel – a stance consistent with the Vatican’s longstanding tradition of diplomatic neutrality.
Some Catholic leaders, however, have taken a more direct stance on the conflict.
Pope Leo XIV arrives to hold his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square, at the Vatican on March 4, 2026. (Alessandra Tarantino/AP Photo)
Cardinal Robert McElroy, the archbishop of Washington, described the war as morally unjustifiable, while Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich criticized the White House for sharing social media posts about the war that included video game-style imagery.
Meanwhile, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin rejected Washington’s characterization of the fighting as a “preventive war,” but said the Holy See continues to keep lines of communication open with all sides.
“The Holy See speaks with everyone,” Parolin said. “When necessary we speak also with the Americans, with the Israelis and show them what to us are the solutions.”