By Ayomide Otitoju
Pope Leo XIV on Sunday urged an end to conflict in the Middle East, warning that God “does not listen to the prayer of those who wage war” during his Palm Sunday homily.
Speaking after the Angelus prayer, the pontiff paid tribute to “the Christians of the Middle East, who suffer the consequences of a terrible conflict and in many cases cannot fully live the rites of these holy days.”
Earlier this week, Pope Leo XIV called for a ceasefire in the region, noting that over one million people had been forced to flee their homes and urging the warring parties to engage in dialogue.
Since the US-Israeli strikes on that triggered the conflict on February 28, the 70-year-old pope has been cautious in his statements, deliberately refraining from naming any party while consistently appealing for peace.
