Pope Leo XIV utilized his inaugural Palm Sunday Mass to convey a forceful message opposing war that reverberated throughout social media platforms and diplomatic circles, proclaiming that God opposes violence and turns away from the prayers of warmongers.
Thousands assembled in St. Peter’s Square on March 29 as the first pope born in America led the sacred ceremony commemorating Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem. The pontiff, age 70, wore red vestments representing Christ’s Passion and devoted his homily to condemning the exploitation of religion to rationalize armed conflicts.
“Brothers and sisters, this is our God: Jesus, King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war,” Pope Leo XIV said. “He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them.”
The pontiff’s statements arrived as the American-Israeli conflict with Iran reached its second month and Russia’s offensive in Ukraine persists. Representatives from every side of these wars have cited religious rationales for their armed operations, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has characterized the Iran conflict using overtly Christian language.
The Mass commenced with a procession of cardinals, bishops, priests, and laypeople bearing olive branches and elaborately woven palm leaves across the square. Approximately 60 cardinals and bishops took part as the procession moved around the ancient Egyptian obelisk that Emperor Caligula transported to Rome in 37 A.D., a location historically linked with early Christian martyrdom, including St. Peter’s.
Pope Leo XIV offered particular prayers for Middle Eastern Christians who are “suffering the consequences of a brutal conflict” and frequently cannot properly observe Holy Week traditions. His statements gained additional significance after Jerusalem police blocked Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and the Custos of the Holy Land from accessing the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for Palm March 29 Mass, marking the first occasion in centuries that religious leaders encountered such barriers at the location where Christians believe Jesus was crucified.
Israeli police shut down significant holy sites in Jerusalem’s Old City citing security concerns during Iranian missile attacks. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu subsequently announced Israel would work to partially reopen the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the days after the declaration, responding to international condemnation.
The service carried special significance as it represented the first Palm Sunday following Pope Francis’ death on Easter Monday in 2025. Francis had recovered from a five-week hospitalization for double pneumonia to welcome the faithful from St. Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday, completing what would be his last popemobile journey around the piazza. He experienced a stroke and passed away the next morning. His nurse, Massimiliano Strappetti, subsequently disclosed that Francis had expressed to him: “Thank you for bringing me back to the square.”
Pope Leo XIV has been scheduled to lead the complete series of Holy Week liturgical services, including the Holy Thursday foot-washing ceremony at the basilica of St. John Lateran, the Good Friday procession at Rome’s Colosseum, the Easter Vigil on Saturday, and Easter Mass on March 29 in St. Peter’s Square. The new pontiff restored the Holy Thursday ceremony to the basilica after Francis notably observed it by visiting Rome-area prisons and refugee centers to wash the feet of Muslims and people of other faiths.
The pontiff ended his homily by citing Venerable Bishop Tonino Bello, a pacifist and social justice champion whom Pope Francis designated as venerable in 2021. The bishop, who passed away in 1993, had prayed for a time when “the tears of all the victims of violence and pain will soon be dried up like frost beneath the spring sun.”
Russia’s Orthodox Church has proclaimed its invasion of Ukraine a “holy war” against what it considers a morally corrupt West. At the same time, President Donald Trump’s administration has characterized military action in religious language, as demonstrated in declarations by Defense Secretary Hegseth and other officials.
Palm Sunday initiates Holy Week, honoring Jesus’ victorious arrival in Jerusalem prior to his crucifixion on Good Friday and resurrection on Easter Sunday. The liturgy features readings of Christ’s suffering and crucifixion, establishing the atmosphere for Christianity’s holiest week.
As the first American-born pope in history conducted his first Holy Week as pontiff, his strong position against religious rationalizations for warfare indicated a continuation of recent papal focus on peace while creating his own distinctive voice on the international stage. His message resonated strongly on social media, where excerpts of his homily sparked discussions about faith, warfare and political leadership.
