Vatican City: On the solemn occasion of the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Pope Leo XIV issued a moving appeal to the global community, urging renewed efforts toward lasting peace and a world free from the shadow of nuclear weapons.
In a heartfelt message delivered during a Mass for Peace in Hiroshima by Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Francisco Escalante Molina, the Pope addressed Bishop Alexis Shirama and all gathered, stating, “Nuclear arms offend our shared humanity and betray the dignity of creation, whose harmony we are called to safeguard.”
Recalling the devastation that befell Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, where an estimated 150,000 to 246,000 lives were lost, the Pope described the cities as enduring testaments to the unimaginable suffering brought on by nuclear warfare. Yet, amid the tragedy, he highlighted the resilience of the hibakusha the survivors whose voices, he said, serve as moral beacons urging the world toward peace and disarmament.
Echoing the words of Pope Francis “War is always a defeat for humanity” Pope Leo emphasized that genuine peace cannot coexist with the specter of weapons capable of annihilation. Instead, he called for the “courageous laying down of arms,” especially those of nuclear capability, which he described as tools of “indescribable catastrophe.”
The Pope also challenged the prevailing logic of deterrence, criticizing the “illusion of security founded on mutually assured destruction.” Instead, he advocated for a global ethic based on justice, fraternity, and the common good, insisting that these values must underpin any serious pursuit of peace.
In conclusion, Pope Leo offered a prayer that the Hiroshima anniversary become more than a historical reflection that it inspire a concrete and collective renewal of the commitment to peace. “A peace that is unarmed and disarming,” he stressed, one that uplifts humanity and honors creation rather than threatens its survival.