Pope Leo XIV delivered his strongest condemnation yet of the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran, denouncing what he called a “delusion of omnipotence” and urging leaders to stop the fighting and negotiate. The intervention matters because it places the Vatican more openly against the moral logic of escalation at a moment when a fragile ceasefire and failed U.

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (AP) — U.S.-born Pope Leo XIV pushed back Monday on President Donald Trump’s broadside against him over the U.S.-Israel war in Iran, telling reporters that the Vatican’s appeals for peace and reconciliation are rooted in the ...

CatholicPhilly presents a weekly roundup of international news from Vatican News, the official news portal of the Holy See. The following report on the week of April 5, 2026 links to stories on VaticanNews.

Pope Leo XIV welcomed the newly announced ceasefire in the Middle East as “a sign of genuine hope” after what he described as “hours of extreme tension,” while urging a return to negotiations and calling the faithful to prayer.

By Kanishka Singh and Joshua McElwee WASHINGTON/ROME, April 13 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump has criticised Pope ⁠Leo ⁠ as "terrible" in an unusual, direct attack on the ⁠pontiff, who responded by vowing to continue denouncing war and suffering.