Pope Leo XIV is inviting Catholics around the world to join him in praying for disarmament and peace during the month of March, urging the faithful to reject violence and seek reconciliation in a world threatened by conflict and nuclear weapons.
According to Vatican News, the Holy Father’s monthly prayer intention, shared through The Pope Video and promoted by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, focuses on the urgent need for nations and individuals alike to choose peace over destruction.
In the prayer, Pope Leo reminds the faithful that humanity was created for unity, not conflict. “The Lord has shaped every human being in His image and likeness,” the Pope said, explaining that God created humanity “for communion, not for war,” and “for fraternity, not for destruction,” according to Vatican News.
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The Pope’s message emphasizes that peace must begin in the human heart before it can transform the world. Reflecting on Christ’s greeting to His disciples after the Resurrection, the Pope prayed: “You who greeted your disciples saying, ‘Peace be with you,’ grant us the gift of your peace and the strength to make it a reality in history,” according to Vatican News.
Pope Leo also called on nations to turn away from weapons and instead pursue dialogue. “Today we lift up our prayer for peace in the world, asking that nations renounce weapons and choose the path of dialogue and diplomacy,” he said, according to Vatican News.
While global conflicts continue to threaten stability, the Pope stressed that real security cannot be built through fear or domination. Instead, he said, peace grows from trust and solidarity among peoples.
“Help us understand that true security does not come from control fueled by fear, but from trust, justice, and solidarity among peoples,” Pope Leo prayed, according to Vatican News.
A particular concern in the Pope’s intention is the continued danger posed by nuclear weapons. The Holy Father urged world leaders to reject the arms race and place human dignity above military power.
He prayed that leaders may have “the courage to abandon projects of death, halt the arms race, and place the lives of the most vulnerable at the center,” adding a stark warning that “the nuclear threat may never again dictate the future of humanity,” according to Vatican News.
Beyond political leaders, the Pope also called on ordinary believers to become builders of peace in everyday life. Through prayer and the work of the Holy Spirit, Catholics are encouraged to foster reconciliation in their families, communities, and societies.
The Pope concluded by praying that simple acts of kindness and dialogue may help renew the world. He asked that “every kind word, every gesture of reconciliation, and every choice for dialogue be seeds of a new world,” according to Vatican News.
The monthly prayer intention is shared globally through the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, a pontifical initiative dedicated to mobilizing Catholics in prayer and action in response to the challenges facing humanity and the mission of the Church. According to Vatican News, the initiative reaches millions of people each month and has accumulated more than 247 million views across Vatican social media platforms since the launch of The Pope Video in 2016.
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