Pope Leo urges war leaders to halt fighting after deadly strike on school sparks outrage

Pope Leo XIV connected Sunday called for an contiguous ceasefire successful the warfare involving Iran, delivering his strongest remarks yet connected the struggle and urging leaders liable for the warring to halt unit aft deadly strikes that deed schools and civilian areas.

The Associated Press reported the pope made the remarks astatine the extremity of his Sunday noon blessing astatine the Vatican, wherever helium appealed to leaders progressive successful the struggle to halt the warring and prosecute dialog alternatively of continued subject escalation.

"On behalf of the Christians of the Middle East and each women and men of bully will, I entreaty to those liable for this conflict," Leo said. "Cease occurrence truthful that avenues for dialog whitethorn beryllium reopened. Violence tin ne'er pb to the justice, stability, and bid that the radical are waiting for."

Leo did not mention the U.S. oregon Israel by name, though helium appeared to notation an onslaught successful the opening days of the warfare that struck a schoolhouse successful Iran and killed much than 165 people, galore of them children.

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Pope Leo XIV called Sunday for an contiguous ceasefire successful the warfare involving Iran. (Alberto Pizzoli/AFP via Getty Images)

U.S. officials said the onslaught whitethorn person been based connected outdated intelligence, and an probe into the incidental is underway.

The pope said helium was peculiarly adjacent to the families of victims killed successful attacks that person struck schools, hospitals and residential areas during the conflict.

He besides expressed interest astir the interaction of the warring successful Lebanon, wherever assistance groups person warned the escalating struggle could trigger a humanitarian crisis.

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This representation obtained from Iran's ISNA quality bureau shows the tract of a onslaught connected a girls' schoolhouse successful Minab, successful Iran's confederate Hormozgan province, connected Feb. 28, 2026. (Ali Najafi/ISNA/AFP via Getty Images)

Christian communities successful confederate Lebanon are of peculiar interest to the Vatican, arsenic they person agelong been seen arsenic an important beingness for Christians crossed a mostly Muslim region.

For overmuch of the 2 weeks since the struggle began, Leo has constricted his nationalist comments to broader appeals for bid and dialog portion avoiding nonstop references to the U.S. oregon Israel – a stance accordant with the Vatican’s longstanding contented of diplomatic neutrality.

Some Catholic leaders, however, person taken a much nonstop stance connected the conflict.

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Pope Leo XIV arrives to clasp his play wide assemblage successful St. Peter's Square, astatine the Vatican connected March 4, 2026. (Alessandra Tarantino/AP Photo)

Cardinal Robert McElroy, the archbishop of Washington, described the warfare arsenic morally unjustifiable, portion Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich criticized the White House for sharing societal media posts astir the warfare that included video game-style imagery.

Meanwhile, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin rejected Washington’s characterization of the warring arsenic a "preventive war," but said the Holy See continues to support lines of connection unfastened with each sides.

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"The Holy See speaks with everyone," Parolin said. "When indispensable we talk besides with the Americans, with the Israelis and amusement them what to america are the solutions."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.