Overview
- Pope Leo XIV, speaking to reporters outside Castel Gandolfo on Tuesday, made a rare direct appeal to President Donald Trump to find a way out of the war and cut the bombings.
- He called on all world leaders to return to the negotiating table and look for practical steps that lower the level of violence.
- He said he hopes the fighting can stop before Easter on April 5, framing the week as a sacred time that should foster peace.
- The pontiff stressed the human toll, noting many deaths including children, and said God does not heed the prayers of those who wage war.
- The conflict, which escalated after Feb. 28 strikes by the U.S. and Israel on Iran, has brought daily attacks, heavy civilian losses, and strains on energy supplies and the global economy.