The Holy See has issued a strong and unequivocal appeal for the global community to abandon rearmament and to uphold the principles of international humanitarian law, particularly amid rising violence and conflicts around the world. In a powerful statement delivered to the United Nations Security Council on May 22, Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, the Holy See’s Permanent Observer to the UN, articulated a clear moral and humanitarian stance: civilian lives must be protected, and the arms race must be curtailed.

Archbishop Caccia emphasized that halting the use of indiscriminate weapons—such as landmines, cluster munitions, and explosives deployed in civilian areas—is not just idealistic but urgently necessary. He underscored the Vatican’s call for an immediate cessation of weapons production and accumulation as part of a practical roadmap to enhance civilian safety in zones of conflict. These steps, he argued, are essential for shifting from a war-oriented world order to one grounded in peace and human dignity.

The Holy See’s concern goes beyond military strategy—it is deeply rooted in humanitarian distress. Caccia highlighted the ongoing violations of international law, pointing to the immense toll on civilians in Gaza, Ukraine, and various neglected regions where armed confrontations persist largely out of the global spotlight. He insisted that the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols must be upheld without compromise.

“The deliberate targeting of non-combatants, including vulnerable groups like children and humanitarian workers, and the systematic destruction of infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, and places of worship are grave violations,” Caccia said. “Such actions are not only a human catastrophe but also an existential threat to international peace and order.”

In a related development on May 23, Pope Leo XIV met privately with the leadership of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE). Although the meeting remained behind closed doors, attending bishops reported that the Pope voiced deep concern over the growing trend of diverting public resources toward military expansion at the expense of social welfare and support for the vulnerable.

Pope Leo XIV’s message of peace resonated even earlier, during his May 19 address to representatives of various Christian denominations and faith communities. There, he reiterated a shared duty to champion peace and to resist the global momentum toward militarization. “We must unite in rejecting war, denouncing the arms race, and promoting disarmament,” he stated. “Let us also reject economic systems that exploit both people and the planet, and instead pursue a model of development that is truly holistic and just.”

This message comes at a time of growing global unease. On the tenth anniversary of Laudato si', Pope Leo XIV’s social encyclical on care for creation, the Holy See has used this symbolic moment to warn of the moral and economic costs of military escalation. As governments divert vast funds to rearmament, the Vatican reminds the world that these same resources could be used to alleviate hunger, fund education, support healthcare, and combat climate change.

Ultimately, the Holy See’s call is a rallying cry for a return to human-centered priorities. In a world increasingly fractured by ideological and geopolitical rivalries, the Vatican continues to serve as a moral compass—urging the international community to choose the path of dialogue, compassion, and peace over the destructive allure of war and weaponry.