Vatican City: As he departed Castel Gandolfo this evening after a 16-day stay, Pope Leo XIV addressed reporters and offered candid reflections on global conflicts and the need for peace. Speaking just before his return to the Vatican around 9:00 PM, the Pope delivered a strong message:
“We must urge humanity to lay down arms and reject the profit-driven motives that fuel every war.”
In an impromptu exchange with journalists gathered outside his summer residence, the Pope condemned the arms industry, warning that its influence reduces people to "disposable instruments" of violence. “Too often, the weapons trade devalues human life,” he said, calling for an unrelenting defense of human dignity across all faiths:
“We must keep insisting on the sacred worth of every person Christian, people of all religions. We are all children of God, made in His image.”
When asked about the possibility of visiting war-torn areas like Gaza, Pope Leo acknowledged his personal desire to go to many places but added that such visits are “not always the key to resolving conflict.”
Reflecting on his time in Castel Gandolfo, he described it as “a welcome change of scenery,” though not a true break. “It was a working retreat. I never stopped paying attention to the world's events,” he shared.
Concluding his remarks, Pope Leo emphasized the ongoing importance of the Church’s voice in global affairs:
“Thank God the Church still has something to say. Let us continue to be builders of peace.”