ROME – Pope Leo XIV has emphasized a message of peace and dialogue as the U.S. defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, urged Americans to pray for military victory in the Middle East. The pontiff's statements, delivered in Rome, stand in stark contrast to calls for a military resolution and underscore a differing interpretation of Christian principles amid the ongoing conflict.

During a Thursday morning Mass homily ahead of Easter, Pope Leo XIV, the first U.S.-born pontiff, highlighted that the Christian mission has frequently been "distorted by a desire for domination." He asserted that such aims are "entirely foreign to the way of Jesus Christ." Since the United States and Israel initiated bombing campaigns against Iran in late February, the Pope has consistently advocated for an end to hostilities and and a return to diplomatic discussions to resolve the regional conflict.

While not directly naming Secretary Hegseth, who asked Americans to pray "every day, on bended knee" for a Middle East victory "in the name of Jesus Christ," Pope Leo XIV has critiqued the use of Christianity for purposes he deems inconsistent with Catholic teaching. At a Holy Thursday rite in the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the Pope stated, "We tend to consider ourselves powerful when we dominate, victorious when we destroy our equals, great when we are feared." He presented an alternative vision, asserting that "God has given us an example — not of how to dominate, but of how to liberate; not of how to destroy life, but of how to give it."

In late March, the Pope explicitly cautioned against invoking Jesus's name to justify warfare, declaring in a Sunday homily that Jesus "does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them."

Throughout his first year as pontiff, Pope Leo XIV has generally refrained from direct engagement in U.S. domestic politics and has avoided open confrontation with the White House. His influence has often been exercised through indirect channels, such as encouraging U.S. bishops to support immigrants last year during President Trump's escalated deportation campaign. The Pope has only commented on President Trump when directly questioned by reporters. On March 31, outside his Castel Gandolfo residence, Pope Leo XIV remarked on reports that President Trump wished to end the war, expressing hope that the president was "looking for a way to, to decrease the amount of violence, of bombing."

Pope Leo XIV has indicated he has not directly discussed the war with President Trump. However, on Friday morning, he spoke by telephone with Israeli President Isaac Herzog. A Vatican statement confirmed that during their conversation, the Pope reiterated the importance of dialogue and ending the conflicts to achieve a "just and lasting peace" in the Middle East.