Assisi: Pope Leo XIV has called on religious leaders and believers around the world to reject the use of religion to justify war and work together to build peace through prayer, dialogue and understanding. In a video message to participants in the International Meeting for Peace in Assisi, the Pope stressed that violence cannot be carried out in God's name and urged the international community to make peace a shared priority.
“War can never be waged in the name of God,” Pope Leo said, warning against the misuse of religion to support violence. He emphasised that peace, rather than war, must remain the central concern of religious communities and their efforts to serve humanity.
The three day meeting, organised by the Community of Sant'Egidio under the theme “Unarmed and Disarming Peace,” brought together religious leaders and other participants in Assisi, the Italian town where Saint Francis was born. The gathering concluded on Tuesday, October 27, marking 40 years since the World Day of Prayer for Peace initiated by Saint John Paul II on October 27, 1986.
Pope Leo expressed his regret at being unable to attend the anniversary gathering in person. He greeted the organisers, patriarchs, religious leaders and Franciscans who participated in the days of prayer and dialogue, expressing his hope that their presence would demonstrate that people can live together as brothers and sisters despite their differences.
The Pope recalled that, following the historic 1986 gathering, Saint John Paul II encouraged people to continue living the spirit of Assisi. Pope Leo said this approach remains particularly important in a world increasingly shaped by the pursuit of power.
He called for renewed commitment to the spirit of Assisi, which involves rejecting religious justifications for war, encouraging mediation and dialogue, and combining prayerful reflection with practical efforts to create a peaceful future.
Peace, he said, must once again become a common goal for all peoples, guiding decisions, exposing injustice and offering a shared vision for humanity. He urged governments, communities and individuals to focus on rebuilding peace rather than preparing for further conflict.
Pope Leo also highlighted the importance of prayer in efforts to overcome violence. While acknowledging that prayer might appear powerless in the face of political and military strength, he described it as a humble source of strength for believers.
He invited people to pray for a change of heart among those who promote war and terrorism, reminding participants that prayer remains meaningful even when the path towards peace appears difficult.
Alongside prayer, the Pope stressed the need for religious leaders to encourage dialogue within their own communities and across society. He said the spirit of Assisi calls for replacing arrogance with peaceful communication, negotiation and mutual understanding.
Such efforts, he explained, can help humanity gradually move away from the recurring cycle of violence and create conditions in which differences are addressed through dialogue rather than confrontation.
Concluding his message, Pope Leo expressed his hope that the prayers offered in Assisi would help bring peace to nations around the world. He invited participants and believers everywhere to become “unarmed instruments” of God's peace, reflecting the meeting's central message that lasting peace requires a rejection of violence and a shared commitment to understanding.