Pope: ‘Weapons Must Fall Silent, and the Voice of Fraternity and Justice Must Prevail’

Vatican, September 1, 2025: During the Sunday Angelus, Pope Leo renewed his closeness to the Ukrainian people, appealed again for an immediate ceasefire, and prayed for the victims of the Catholic school shooting in Minnesota and for migrants who died off the coast of Mauritania.

As Russia intensified its assaults on Ukrainian cities, the Pope repeated his plea for an immediate ceasefire and genuine commitment to dialogue.

“The voice of weapons must fall silent, and the voice of fraternity and justice must prevail,” the Pope declared.

He reaffirmed his closeness to the people of Ukraine, deploring the ongoing devastation and loss of life caused by the war. He urged people not to yield to indifference but to remain steadfast in prayer and engage in concrete works of charity, once again calling for a ceasefire.

“It is time for those in power to abandon the logic of weapons and to embrace the path of negotiation and peace, supported by the international community,” he said.

Prayers for victims of Minnesota school shooting

Switching into English, Pope Leo prayed for the victims of the shooting at a Catholic school in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

“We include in our prayers the countless children killed and injured every day around the world,” he said. “Let us plead with God to stop the pandemic of arms, large and small, which infects our world.”

He then turned to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace, asking her to help humanity fulfil Isaiah’s prophecy: “They shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks.”

Deaths of migrants off the coast of Mauritania

The Pope also recalled the deaths of at least 69 people—and nearly 100 others who remain missing—after a vessel carrying migrants capsized off the Mauritanian coast.

Seventeen survivors have been rescued so far, with reports stating the boat had departed from The Gambia six days before it sank on Tuesday.

“This deadly tragedy is repeated every day around the world,” he said. “Let us pray that the Lord may teach us, as individuals and as a society, to fully live His word: ‘I was a stranger and you welcomed me’.”

In conclusion, Pope Leo prayed for all those who have died. “We entrust all our injured, missing, and dead, everywhere, to our Saviour’s loving embrace.”

Courtesy: Vatican News

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