Overview
- Speaking to reporters on the flight back to Rome Thursday, Leone XIV said he cannot support war and urged a culture of peace that shields innocents.
- He cited letters from families of Iranian children killed on the first day of the Israel–U.S. strikes and said he carries a photo of a Lebanese child later killed in bombing.
- He described talks over the Strait of Hormuz as chaotic, noting shifting U.S. and Iranian positions, and urged continued dialogue with respect for international law.
- He reaffirmed the Holy See’s refusal to authorize ritual blessings for same‑sex unions, responding to German church moves toward formal rites in Munich‑Freising.
- He called for humane treatment of migrants, saying states can set border rules but must uphold human dignity, and he pressed rich countries and multinationals to tackle the African drivers of flight.