Pope calls for peace in Middle East, condemns Lebanon war

Pope Leo XIV expressed solidarity with Lebanon on Sunday, calling it a "moral obligation" to protect civilians in the Middle East war. The 70-year-old pope made the remarks during Regina Coeli prayer at Vatican's St. Peter's Square, with over 2,000 Lebanese reported killed in Israeli strikes since last month. "I am closer than ever to the beloved Lebanese people," he said, urging warring parties to "sit at the table of dialogue and mediation, not at the table where rearmament is planned and deadly actions are decided!" The pontiff's comments come as Iran and US failed to reach agreement during Pakistan talks to end the conflict. Pope heads to Algeria Monday for 11-day African tour focused on building bridges with Islamic world.

SOURCE: https://www.channelstv.com/2026/04/12/pope-says-he-is-closer-than-ever-to-lebanese-people/