By Nitya Chakraborty
In a major development in the present period of US-Israel war in West Asia, Pope Leo launched the beginning of the holiest week on Christian calendar with a sharp attack on US defence secretary Pete Hegseth saying “ God refuses the prayers of leaders who have hands full of blood”. Hegseth, a devout Christian is also the leader of rightwing Christian nationalist movement which is disliked by Vatican.
His remarks were seen as a sharp condemnation of Hegseth and a variety of other U.S. lawmakers and Christian nationalist leaders who use religious invocations to claim that the war on Iran is America doing the work of God. Trump, also a Christian mentioned in his speeches that he was waging a holy war and it was the will of God.
But Pope Paul thundered in his Easter address “This is our God: Jesus, King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war,” Leo said to thousands of people attending his Palm Sunday mass at St. Peter’s Square. “He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them.”
The Pope demanded an end to all military airstrikes on Iran. The bombings have been carried out for weeks by the Trump and Netanyahu regimes in the U.S. and Israel. Pope Paul’s remarks challenged what Hegseth said just four days earlier that he offered prayers at the Pentagon. He said then that God will support the mission of US troops to rain violence and death on the enemy. He said that “” We ask these things in bold confidence in the mighty and powerful name of Jesus Christ”.
On other hand, Pope said “Thousands of people have been killed and many others have been forced to abandon their homes. I renew my prayerful closeness to all those who have lost their loved ones in the attacks that have struck schools, hospitals, and residential areas”
“Thousands of innocent people have been killed, and many others have been forced to abandon their homes,” Pope Leo said. “I renew my prayerful closeness to all those who have lost their loved ones in the attacks that have struck schools, hospitals, and residential areas.”
Pope Leo X1V was elected in May 2025. He is the first American born Pope and is known for his progressive views on a number of issues including war by the US, immigration policy of Trump and social justice issues. He is carrying the tradition of the earlier Pope Francis who is considered as the most forwarding looking in the recent Vatican history. The present Pope has been waging a running battle with President Trump ever since he assumed office in 2025 coinciding with the second tenure of Trump.
Pope’s Easter address has angered President Trump. In the last three days after Pope’s speech, the Christian communities throughout the world have started discussing the issue. Specially, the rebuke of Hegseth and calling him a blood thirsty who can not get close to God, has been noted widely. Trump, reports say, is getting a feeling that the latest stance of Vatican on Iran war, is having its impact on the European governments. On Tuesday, Italy announced that it would not allow the US bombers to use Sicily as a base.
On his Truth Social, the US president expressed his anger at the European nations by telling that the European governments worried about fuel prices to “go get your own oil” by force from the Gulf, comments that sent oil prices even higher. Trump also said that the responsibility for keeping the Strait of Hormuz open would rest with the countries that rely on it.
Trump’s anger against Europe and NATO was carried forward by the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, when he said that after the war, Washington would look at whether NATO has “served this country well”, or whether it has become a “one-way street where America is simply in a position to defend Europe, but when we need the help of our allies, they’re going to deny us basing rights, and they’re going to deny us overflight.”
On April 1, the 33rd day of US-Israel war on Iran, Trump is really isolated. This is his war and he has to win it or lose it. Iran so far has not expressed any intention to agree to the unilateral peace formula forwarded by Trump. Back channel talks are continuing but Iran is looking for a settlement incorporating some of its own terms. Tehran is still in a position to fight. Trump has given deadline to Iran till April 7 for agreeing to his terms. So now only the days after April 7 will show what way Trump moves. (IPA Service)
