War Always Brings Defeat for Humanity; Let Us Not Normalize War – Pope Provost Leo
Vatican City | June 18, 2025
Pope Leo has delivered a message of peace to world leaders, urging that war should never be accepted as a normal state of affairs. Speaking during the weekly general audience on Wednesday, he stated, “War is always a defeat. Let us not turn war into a habit for the world.”
Recalling the suffering in war-torn regions around the globe, the Pope said, “Especially in Ukraine, Iran, Israel, and Gaza — the cries of the people in these areas are tearing the heart of the Catholic Church apart.” He urged, “Let us never accept war as normal! Rather, let us reject the allure of weapons as a form of temptation.”
Pope Leo also addressed the destructive power of modern weaponry. “Due to technological advancement, modern weapons can exceed even the worst atrocities of the past,” he warned.
Quoting his predecessor Pope Francis, he reiterated, “War is always a defeat.”
Latest War Developments
Since the beginning of the Israeli offensive in October 2023, a total of 55,637 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip.
Among the recent escalations, on June 13 this month, Israel launched large-scale airstrikes on several Iranian nuclear facilities and military headquarters. According to Iranian media, these attacks resulted in 585 deaths and 1,326 injuries across various areas, including the capital Tehran.
In retaliation, Iran fired multiple ballistic missiles at Israel. According to various international sources, 24 people were killed and at least 500 were injured in those counterattacks.
The Pope's remarks come at a time when the entire world is anxiously counting the days in fear of another catastrophic war.
