Pope says ‘there is no such thing as a holy war’ in message to religious leaders

Pope Leo XIV denounced any religious justification for wars raging around the globe, stating unequivocally, "there is no such thing as a holy war." He delivered this message in a video-message to a gathering of religious leaders in Assisi, Italy, marking the 40th anniversary of a landmark interfaith peace meeting. The Pope, recovering from lung cancer surgery, could not attend the meeting in person and sent the message to delegates, which included the Archbishop of Canterbury, spiritual leaders from various faiths, and others.

Pope Leo emphasized the need to cultivate peace, denouncing the "troubling revival of war as an instrument of international politics" and its religious justifications by leaders. He reiterated that war can never be waged in the name of God and called for rebuilding peace everywhere, not preparing for more wars. The Pope's stance on the matter aligns with his consistent rejection of such justifications, which he described as a perversion of religion itself.