Pope Leon XIV declares war never blessed by God at global cardinal meeting

Pope Leon XIV opened a two‑day gathering of cardinals from around the world, stating that “war is never blessed by God” and urging the Church to be a prophetic voice for peace. The meeting, convened at the Vatican in response to cardinals’ request for more frequent consultation than under Pope Francis, will discuss the current international situation, the Pope’s recent encyclical on artificial intelligence, and how the Church can better hear ordinary believers.

The agenda originally included the traditional Latin Mass dispute, but that item was postponed to a later session when a splinter group of traditionalist Catholics plans to ordain four new bishops against the Pope’s wishes. Cardinals have been asked to refrain from speaking to the media while in Rome, with only the Pope’s opening and closing remarks to be released publicly.