Pope Leo XIV warns of youth anxiety and rising military spending at Rome's Sapienza

On 14 May 2026 Pope Leo XIV visited the Università La Sapienza, Europe’s largest university, and addressed students in the Aula Magna. He denounced what he called the “great lie” of a system that reduces people to numbers, saying the pressure of expectations drives a spiral of anxiety and depression among young people. The pontiff quoted his own phrasing, “We are a desire, not an algorithm,” and urged the youth to become “artisans of peace.”

He also criticised the sharp increase in defence outlays, especially in Europe, describing it as a re‑armament that heightens tensions, impoverishes education and health, and enriches indifferent elites. He cited data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute showing a 14 % rise in European military spending in 2025 to $864 billion. The pope linked this trend to ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, Lebanon and Iran, warning that AI‑driven weapons are driving a “spiral of annihilation.” He called for tighter monitoring of artificial‑intelligence use in both military and civilian spheres.

The visit highlighted a new humanitarian corridor from Gaza to the university and closed with a plea for solidarity, justice and a disarmed, un‑violent peace.