Pope Leo XIV says God rejects prayers of leaders who wage war

Pope Leo XIV opened Holy Week on Palm Sunday by declaring that God will not listen to the prayers of leaders who wage war. He called Jesus the King of Peace who rejects war and quoted Isaiah, saying, "Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: your hands are full of blood." The comment came during his first European trip, after a Monaco visit where he spoke on wealth redistribution and ahead of a planned meeting with the Archbishop of Canterbury. The statement directly rebukes political leaders who invoke religion to justify military action and raises moral pressure on policymakers worldwide.