Pope Leo XIV calls for dialogue to stop wars in Middle East and Ukraine
During his summer Angelus at Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo XIV warned that “the winds of war are blowing again in the Middle East, in Ukraine and many other parts of the world, sowing violence, terror and death and affecting many innocent people.” He urged the faithful not to let these winds extinguish “the small flame of hope and peace, even when it seems fragile.”
The pontiff emphasized that dialogue, encounter and diplomacy are “the only road capable of leading to a just and lasting peace” for all peoples. He also acknowledged the hardship of seafarers, fishermen and port workers whose routes are threatened by the conflicts, and sent prayers to the large Polish pilgrimage at Jasna Góra. The address came as the United States intensified strikes against Iran, raising fears of broader escalation, and the Pope framed the situation as part of a worldwide rise in tensions that demands renewed diplomatic effort.
He will remain at the papal summer residence until 27 July, after which general audiences resume in early August.