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During his June 25 General Audience, Pope Leo XIV addressed escalating violence in the Middle East, urging world leaders to reject revenge and choose peace, while mourning the victims of a terrorist attack on a Christian community in Damascus.
“We continue to follow carefully and with hope the developments in Iran, Israel and Palestine,” the Holy Father said. Quoting the prophet Isaiah, he emphasized, “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Is 2:4).
“May this voice, which comes from the Most High, be heard!” he added. “May the wounds caused by the bloody actions of recent days be healed. Let us reject arrogance and revenge, and instead resolutely choose the path of dialogue, diplomacy and peace.”
Pope Leo also drew attention to the recent bombing of a Greek Orthodox church in Syria.
“We entrust the victims to God’s mercy and we offer our prayers for the wounded and their families,” he said. “I say to the Christians of the Middle East: I am close to you! The whole Church is close to you!”
>> Pope Leo responds to deadly church bombing in Damascus <<
The Pope urged the international community not to turn away from Syria, where instability continues to endanger Christian communities and civilians alike.
“This tragic event recalls the profound fragility that Syria still faces after years of conflict and instability,” he said. “It is therefore essential that the international community not ignore this country, but continue to offer support through gestures of solidarity and a renewed commitment to peace and reconciliation.”
Alongside his appeals for global peace, Pope Leo continued his Jubilee catechesis on the theme “Christ Our Hope,” turning to two Gospel accounts that illustrate how faith opens the door to healing and renewal.
He recalled the story of a woman who, after years of illness, believed a simple touch of Jesus’ cloak could heal her — and it did. He also reflected on the moment Jesus raised a young girl from the dead after telling her grieving father, “Do not be afraid; only have faith.”
Reflecting on these scenes, Pope Leo said both the woman and the father show what it means to go to Jesus in faith.
“In life there are moments of disappointment and discouragement, and there is also the experience of death,” the pope said. “Let us learn from that woman, from that father: let us go to Jesus: He can heal us, He can revive us. Jesus is our hope!”
These moments, Pope Leo suggested, are not just about physical healing but reminders that grace can reach us quietly, often without our noticing, and that Christ meets us in both the miraculous and the ordinary.
“At times we are unaware of it,” he said, “but in a secret and real way, grace reaches us and gradually transforms our lives from within.”
>> Pope Leo urges world leaders to not resort to modern weaponry: ‘We must never get used to war’ <<
