Catholics Worldwide Watch and Pray as Nations Rush to Evacuate Citizens Amid Israel-Iran Conflict

As missiles fly between Israel and Iran, Catholics around the world are being urged to pray for peace while governments scramble to evacuate their citizens from the warzone. The global scale of the exodus is sobering—and a reminder of how quickly conflict can engulf the lives of the innocent.

The international evacuation efforts come in the wake of Israel’s “unprecedented bombing campaign,” which began on Friday and targeted Iran’s nuclear and military facilities, according to multiple news reports. Iran retaliated with heavy missile fire, prompting countries across Europe, Asia, and the Americas to act swiftly to protect their citizens. With Israeli airspace closed and the region facing rising violence, thousands have been forced to flee by land and sea.

Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Greece, and Slovakia are among the European nations that have already airlifted or bussed citizens out through neighboring countries. “The evacuees were taken to an airport in a neighbouring country by buses. They crossed the border on foot,” the Czech defense ministry reported. In a similar effort, Bulgaria received 148 evacuees via private plane on Tuesday.

In the United States, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has spearheaded a mission to extract stranded Americans, particularly those participating in Birthright Israel programs. After a cruise ship transported 1,500 young Jewish Americans to Cyprus, DeSantis arranged for four wide-body planes to bring them home. “It was a complex and emotional operation, carried out under immense pressure,” said Birthright Israel CEO Gidi Mark, according to Times of Israel. Governor DeSantis emphasized the need for swift action, telling Fox News, “It was sad because the State Department and the embassy over in Israel were not helpful to these people.”

Meanwhile, China has evacuated more than 1,600 citizens from Iran and several hundred more from Israel, its foreign ministry confirmed. Australia, too, is navigating difficult logistics as Foreign Minister Penny Wong explained: “We have taken the opportunity to get a small group of Australians out of Israel through a land border crossing.”

India is evacuating thousands—110 students have already crossed into Armenia and flown to New Delhi, and plans are in place to bring home many of the 30,000 Indians in Israel. According to India’s foreign ministry, “Their travel from Israel to India will be facilitated through the land borders and thereafter by air to India.”

Indonesia, Vietnam, Japan, and the Philippines are also coordinating efforts using land routes and neighboring countries, with Japan preparing military aircraft to support evacuations. In Pakistan, some 3,000 pilgrims have already walked across the border from Iran, according to Foreign Ministry spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan.

As Catholic communities observe the growing crisis, the Vatican has not yet made an official statement. Still, Pope Leo XIV’s recent words resonate deeply in this moment: “We must never become accustomed to war,” he said at a General Audience earlier this month. “War is always a defeat,” he reiterated, echoing the words of his predecessor Pope Francis.

For Catholics, this is a moment of prayer and action. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that peace is “a work of justice and the effect of charity” (CCC 2304). As bombs fall and families flee, the faithful are called to advocate, donate, and intercede.

Pray for peace. Pray for the safety of those displaced. And pray that leaders around the world will heed the Church’s call to protect the dignity of every human person, even amid the chaos of war.