Pope Leo XIV said he hoped the U.S.-Israel war on Iran could end before Easter, in comments made to reporters as he left the papal retreat at Castel Gandolfo outside Rome on Tuesday. Speaking during Holy Week, the pontiff also called on leaders to return to dialogue and work to reduce violence in a region where he said suffering has continued even as Christians prepare to mark Easter.
The Pope said he had been told that President Donald Trump “has recently stated that he would like to end the war,” adding, “I hope that he’s looking for an off-ramp.” He also suggested that any reduction in military action would help address the cycle of anger and hatred, saying he was hoping Trump was looking for a way “to decrease the amount of violence, of bombing,” which he called “a significant contribution to removing the hatred that’s being created.”
In broader remarks to reporters, Leo called on “all world leaders” to come back to dialogue and to look for “ways to reduce the amount of violence.” He said that with such steps, “peace, especially at Easter, might reign in our hearts,” linking the timing of his appeal to the religious significance of the days leading up to Easter.
Leo described Holy Week as a period he said should be marked by peace and reflection, saying “It should be the holiest time of the year. It is a time of peace, a time of reflection.” He contrasted that ideal with what he said people are witnessing elsewhere in the world, adding that “in the world, in many places we are seeing so much suffering, so many deaths, even innocent children.”
He said that despite repeated calls for peace, violence and hatred continue, telling reporters, “We constantly make the call for peace, but unfortunately, many people want to promote hatred, violence, war.” The remarks tied the Vatican’s Easter message to the current conflict in the Middle East, where the Pope urged leaders to pursue dialogue as Holy Week continues.
Earlier during the week, on Palm Sunday, Leo said during Mass in St. Peter’s Square that God does not listen to prayers from those who make war or invoke God to justify violence. In the Vatican coverage, the Pope’s message came as leaders on multiple sides of the Iran war used religious references to justify their actions, including U.S. officials who invoked faith to frame the conflict as a Christian effort against foes, and Russia’s Orthodox Church, which has described Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a “holy war.”
As the week’s schedule continued, the Vatican said Leo would carry out the Holy Thursday foot-washing tradition at the basilica of St. John Lateran, a ceremony popes have performed for decades. On Friday, he is due to preside over the Good Friday procession at Rome’s Colosseum and will carry the cross himself, before the late-night Easter Vigil on Saturday in which he will baptize new Catholics, and then Easter Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Square followed by his blessing from the basilica loggia.