- 27 August, 2025
Vatican City, August 27, 2025: Pope Leo has joined the Latin and Greek Orthodox Patriarchs of Jerusalem in urging an end to the war in Gaza and calling for humanitarian aid to flow freely into the enclave.
The Patriarchs issued their joint appeal on Tuesday, 26 August, condemning “the deliberate and forcible mass displacement of civilians”. A day later, Pope Leo echoed their call, recalling the Day of Prayer and Fasting for Peace observed on Friday, 22 August.
“Today I renew a strong appeal both to the parties involved and to the international community, that an end be put to the conflict in the Holy Land, which has caused so much terror, destruction, and death,” the Pope declared.
He stressed the urgent need for humanitarian access and the protection of civilians. “I appeal for all hostages to be freed, a permanent ceasefire to be reached, the safe entry of humanitarian aid to be facilitated, and humanitarian law to be fully respected—especially the obligation to protect civilians and the prohibitions against collective punishment, the indiscriminate use of force, and the forced displacement of populations,” he added.
Pope Leo concluded by invoking the Blessed Virgin Mary. “Let us implore Mary, Queen of Peace, source of consolation and of hope. May her intercession obtain reconciliation and peace in that land so dear to us all.”
In their statement, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch, and Patriarch Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch, insisted that the cycle of violence must cease and the common good prioritised.
“There has been enough devastation, in the territories and in people’s lives,” they said. “There is no reason to justify keeping civilians as prisoners and hostages in dramatic conditions. It is now time for the healing of the long-suffering families on all sides.”
The Patriarchs prayed for conversion of hearts “so that we may walk in the paths of justice and life, for Gaza and the whole Holy Land”.
The two Church leaders visited Gaza in late July, following an Israeli strike on the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza City that killed three people and injured several others. They noted that both the Catholic parish and St. Porphyrius Orthodox Church have sheltered hundreds of civilians since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war on 7 October 2023.
“We do not know exactly what will happen on the ground, not only for our community, but for the entire population,” the Patriarchs said. “We can only repeat what we have already said: There can be no future based on captivity, displacement of Palestinians, or revenge.”
Courtesy: Vatican News
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