From war zones to world leaders, Pope Leo XIV has spent the first year of his pontificate urging humanity to reject violence and rediscover what he calls an “unarmed and disarming” peace.
According to Vatican News, the Holy Father has referenced “peace” more than 400 times in speeches, audiences, homilies, and public appeals since the beginning of his papacy.
The phrase “unarmed and disarming” first emerged on May 8, 2025, the very day Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate began. According to Vatican News, the Pope used those words to describe a vision of reconciliation rooted not merely in ceasefires or political agreements, but in a transformation of the human heart.
In one of his Christmas reflections, Pope Leo warned that fragile political agreements alone cannot create lasting peace. He described the danger of what he called a “great weariness” that drains people of hope and meaning.
Drawing inspiration from poet Yehuda Amichai during his Urbi et Orbi blessing, the Pope spoke of a “wild peace” that springs up unexpectedly like flowers breaking through concrete. “May it come,” Pope Leo said, “because the field needs it.”
Throughout the year, the Holy Father repeatedly addressed the devastating human cost of war. Speaking to journalists early in his pontificate, he praised reporters who stand “on the front lines” uncovering stories of reconciliation amid violence. He also urged the media to promote communication “capable of leading us out of the ‘Tower of Babel’ in which we sometimes find ourselves.”
Pope Leo’s strongest condemnations were often directed at those profiting from armed conflict. According to Vatican News, the Pope warned that “the lords of war” know “it takes only a moment to destroy, but often not even a lifetime is enough to rebuild.”
Addressing the Reunion of Aid Agencies for the Oriental Churches (ROACO), the Pope lamented the enormous wealth spent on destruction instead of mercy and human dignity. “Money that could be used to build new hospitals and schools is instead being used to destroy those that already exist!” he said.
The Pope also tied war to spiritual idolatry and the rejection of God. During Palm Sunday celebrations, he declared that no one can justify violence in the name of religion. According to Vatican News, Pope Leo said God “does not listen to the prayer of those who wage war.”
He further warned against becoming “enslaved to death” by turning power into “a mute, blind and deaf idol.”
Yet the Holy Father’s message has not focused only on condemnation. He has consistently pointed Catholics toward hope, mercy, and reconciliation. During a visit connected to peace efforts in Cameroon, Pope Leo symbolically released a dove, reflecting his call for unity among divided peoples.
In Lebanon, a nation deeply scarred by instability and conflict, the Pope described peace as “an interior movement that flows outward,” allowing humanity to be guided by “a melody greater than ourselves, the melody of divine love.”
Pope Leo has also repeatedly challenged world leaders over the growing global arms race. According to Vatican News, worldwide military spending increased by 9.4% in 2024, reaching more than $2.7 trillion.
During a Marian Vigil for peace in October 2025, the Pope called on nations to “Lay down your sword!” and urged humanity to embrace “the audacity of disarmament.”
He warned that modern warfare increasingly risks becoming detached from human suffering, especially through technologies like drones that make war resemble “the scenario of a video game.”
At the same time, the Pope has encouraged Catholics to pursue peace through education, culture, prayer, and even sport. He praised athletics for teaching perseverance and reminding people that “a fall is never the final word.”
In another catechesis, Pope Leo taught that Christians overcome evil not through force, “but by fully accepting the weakness of love.”
As conflicts continue across the globe, Pope Leo XIV’s first year has revealed a papacy deeply centered on peace — not merely as a political goal, but as a Christian calling rooted in sacrifice, mercy, truth, and faith in God.
According to Vatican News, the Pope ultimately hopes humanity will rediscover that “wild peace” capable of blooming even through the cracks of a broken world.
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