Pope Leo XIV urged the international community not to abandon hope for peace on Sunday, calling for renewed diplomacy as violence continues to intensify in the Middle East, Ukraine, and other regions suffering from war.
Speaking after the Angelus from Piazza della Libertà in Castel Gandolfo, the Holy Father reflected on the growing toll armed conflicts are taking on innocent civilians and appealed for dialogue as the only lasting path toward reconciliation.
According to Vatican News, Pope Leo expressed deep concern over renewed instability in the Middle East following the collapse of hopes for a U.S.-Iran agreement, as well as the continuing crisis in Lebanon. He also pointed to the ongoing war in Ukraine, where recent attacks have struck cities including Kharkiv, Dnipro, Kyiv, and Odesa.
“Unfortunately, the winds of war are blowing once again in the Middle East, in Ukraine and in many other parts of the world, sowing violence, terror and death, and once again affecting many innocent people,” the Pope said.
Rather than allowing conflict to define the future, Pope Leo encouraged world leaders and all people of goodwill to remain committed to peace through dialogue and diplomacy.
“Let us not allow these winds to extinguish the flame of hope and peace, even when it seems fragile and flickering,” he said. “I renew my hope that we will persevere on the path of dialogue, encounter and diplomacy. This is the only path capable of leading to a just and lasting peace, in which peoples can live in reconciliation, mutual security and respect for the dignity of every person.”
The Pope also marked Sea Sunday, observed annually on the second Sunday of July, by offering prayers for those whose livelihoods depend on the sea. According to Vatican News, Sea Sunday invites Catholics to pray for seafarers, fishermen, and port workers while recognizing the vital role maritime workers play in supporting global trade.
Acknowledging the additional hardships caused by conflict, Pope Leo said, “Today is ‘Sea Sunday.’ My thoughts go out to all sailors, fishermen and port workers around the world who, though marked by separation from their loved ones and sometimes by fear of the conflicts occur on the seas, sustain trade and the lives of many peoples through their patient and quiet labor.”
Concluding his remarks, the Holy Father remembered the annual Marian pilgrimage to the Shrine of Jasna Góra in Poland, where hundreds of thousands of faithful gather to honor Our Lady of Częstochowa.
He offered prayers for the pilgrims, saying, “Finally, I offer my prayers for the many Polish faithful gathered for the annual pilgrimage with the icon of Jasna Góra, that, as ‘missionary disciples,’ they may be joyful witnesses to the Gospel.”
The Pope’s Angelus message combined a call for peace, prayers for those affected by conflict, and encouragement for Catholics to remain faithful witnesses to Christ in a world increasingly marked by violence and uncertainty.
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