In the aftermath of U.S. and Israeli bombing of Iran on Feb. 28, Pope Leo XIV and U.S. bishops urge a return to dialogue and pursuit of every avenue toward a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.
After praying the Angelus with visitors gathered in St. Peter’s Square on March 1, Pope Leo XIV spoke about his growing concern about what is unfolding in the Middle East and Iran. He called on leaders to assume their moral duty “to stop the spiral of violence before it becomes an irreperable abyss.”
Here is the English translation of his appeal in Italian:
Dear brothers and sisters!
I am following with deep concern what is happening in the Middle East and in Iran during this tumultuous time. Stability and peace are not achieved through mutual threats, nor through the use of weapons, which sow destruction, suffering, and death, but only through reasonable, sincere, and responsible dialogue.
Faced with the possibility of a tragedy of immense proportions, I make a heartfelt appeal to all the parties involved to assume the moral responsibility of halting the spiral of violence before it becomes an unbridgeable chasm. May diplomacy regain its proper role, and may the
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