Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV has invited Catholics around the world to pray for disarmament and peace during the month of March, urging nations to move away from weapons and choose dialogue and diplomacy.
The prayer intention was released through Pope Video, a global initiative of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network that shares the Holy Father’s monthly prayer intentions with the universal Church.
In the message, Pope reminded the faithful that every human being is created in the image and likeness of God. He said humanity is created for communion and fraternity, not for war and destruction.
Recalling the words of Christ who greeted his disciples with the words peace be with you, Pope prayed that the world may receive the gift of peace and the strength to make it a reality in history.
He called on people everywhere to pray for peace in the world and asked that nations renounce weapons and instead follow the path of dialogue and diplomacy. He also encouraged people to disarm their hearts of hatred, resentment and indifference so that they may become instruments of reconciliation.
Pope stressed that true security does not come from control driven by fear but from trust, justice and solidarity among peoples.
In his prayer, he also asked God to enlighten the leaders of nations so that they may have the courage to abandon projects of death, stop the arms race and place the lives of the most vulnerable at the centre of their decisions.
He warned that the nuclear threat should never again dictate the future of humanity.
Pope also prayed that the Holy Spirit may help people become faithful and creative builders of peace in daily life, in families, communities and cities. He said that every kind word, gesture of reconciliation and effort for dialogue can become seeds of a new world.
Pope Video is produced by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, also known as the Apostleship of Prayer. The initiative aims to mobilise Catholics worldwide to respond to the challenges facing humanity and the Church's mission through prayer and action.
Since its launch in 2016, Pope Video has received more than 247 million views across Vatican social media platforms. It is translated into more than 23 languages and has been covered by the media in 114 countries.