In March 2026, social media users circulated posts claiming Pope Leo XIV issued a "powerful condemnation" of U.S. and Israeli military action against Iran and directly rebuked the Christian leaders who gathered in the Oval Office to pray over President Donald Trump.
One X post (archived) said, for example:
⛔️Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff, issued a powerful condemnation from the Vatican today, directly rebuking the Christian Zionist leaders who gathered in the Oval Office to lay hands on Donald Trump and "bless" his unauthorized war against Iran. ‼️
⛔️In a moving appeal, the Chicago-born pope declared: "War is not holy; only peace is holy because it is willed by God." ‼️
(X user @drhossamsamy65)
Variations of the claim spread on other social media platforms, including Facebook, Threads and Instagram.
The claim was mostly false.
Pope Leo XIV did publicly address the violence involving Iran and the wider Middle East in a March 8, 2026, Angelus message, but he did not say, in that message, "War is not holy; only peace is holy because it is willed by God." His speech was not a "powerful condemnation" and did not mention the U.S. or Israel by name.
Rather, according to the Vatican's official transcript, he said: "We lift up our humble prayer to the Lord, so that the thunderous sound of bombs may cease, weapons may fall silent, and a space for dialogue may open up in which the voice of the people can be heard." He also warned that the conflict could spread and destabilize other countries in the region, "including beloved Lebanon."
A similar line about war and peace did appear in an earlier speech from October 2025, when the pope said that "war is never holy, only peace is holy, because it is willed by God."
What pope Leo XIV actually said on March 8
A transcript published on the Vatican's official website contained the full text of Leo's March 8, 2026 Angelus address. In the section labeled "After the Angelus," Leo said:
Deeply disturbing news continues to arrive from Iran and the entire Middle East. In addition to the episodes of violence and devastation as well as the widespread climate of hatred and fear, there is also the concern that the conflict will spread and that other countries in the region, including beloved Lebanon, may again sink back into instability.
We lift up our humble prayer to the Lord, so that the thunderous sound of bombs may cease, weapons may fall silent, and a space for dialogue may open up in which the voice of the people can be heard. I entrust this intention to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace, that she may intercede for those who suffer because of war and lead hearts along the paths of reconciliation and hope.
Therefore, Leo's remarks were an appeal for peace and dialogue rather than the "powerful condemnation" described in social media posts. He also didn't refer to the United States or Israel by name.
Vatican News also shared the March 8 clip on Facebook with the caption, "Pope Leo on Iran."
Some social media posts purported to link Leo's remarks to an Oval Office prayer event. On March 5, pastors and other faith leaders gathered around U.S. President Trump in the White House to pray over him as the war in Iran escalated.
That same day, Leo released his March 2026 prayer intention for "Disarmament and Peace," asking that "nations renounce weapons and choose the path of dialogue and diplomacy:"
There was no evidence Leo was directly responding to Trump's gathering or rebuking any leaders by name.
At the same time, other Vatican officials did use stronger language about the war. In an interview with Vatican News on March 4, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's secretary of state, said "this erosion of international law is truly worrying," referring to the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. He also warned that recognizing a right to "preventive war" could set the world ablaze.
Pope Leo said 'war is never holy' in October 2025
The quote spreading on social media in March 2026 appeared to trace back to a speech Leo delivered on Oct. 28, 2025, at the International Meeting for Peace organized by the Community of Sant'Egidio in Rome. In the Vatican's official text of that speech, Leo said, "War is never holy; only peace is holy, because it is willed by God!"
Vatican News summarized that speech with the headline, "Pope Leo XIV: 'Peace is holy, not war.'"
In sum, posts about the 2026 Iran war recycled a genuine October 2025 quote from Pope Leo XIV and misleadingly framed it as something Leo said five months later.
The claim is one of many online rumors involving Pope Leo XIV, including misattributed quotations and fabricated images.