Pope Leo XIV told reporters Thursday that he keeps a photo of a child killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon with him at all times.
The child had been part of the crowds that welcomed the pope during his first overseas trip to Lebanon last November and December.
The strikes targeted Hezbollah militants, the pope said, but claimed the life of this innocent youngster.
“As a pastor, I cannot be in favor of war,” Leo stated aboard the flight back to Rome after wrapping up a four-nation tour of Africa on April 23.
“We have seen so many innocent people killed,” he added as he talked about a larger conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.
Killing of civilians during protests, war
The comment was made as the pope responded to questions about the killing of civilians in the ongoing war and during protests that were recorded in Iran early this year.
He had just condemned the killing of thousands of protesters in Iran during anti-government unrest in January, the worst since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
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Rights groups say Iranian authorities have kept up a harsh crackdown even as the war drags on, including another execution this week.
Leo, the first American pope, made clear he opposes all unjust loss of life.
“I condemn all actions that are unjust. I condemn the taking of people’s lives,” he said. “When a regime, when a country takes decisions that take away the lives of other people unjustly, then obviously that is something that should be condemned.”
Trump criticizes the Pope
His remarks follow sharp criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump. Last week, Trump called the pope “terrible” on social media for speaking out against the U.S.-Israel war with Iran while not immediately addressing Iran’s handling of its own protesters.
Trump later asked publicly why the pope had not spoken up about the deaths inside Iran.
As first reported by Reuters, Leo did not mention Trump by name on Thursday. Instead, he focused on his role as head of the 1.4-billion-member Catholic Church.
He lamented the collapse of recent peace talks between the U.S. and Iran.
“One day Iran says yes, the United States says no, and vice versa. We don’t know where it will go,” the pope said. “It has created a situation that is still chaotic … and also there is the whole population of Iran, innocent people, who are suffering because of this war.”
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The conflict has brought new turmoil to the region. Iran has seized ships in the Strait of Hormuz, peace efforts have fallen apart, and the world is feeling the effects through higher energy prices and interrupted supply chains.
Leo also addressed his decision to visit African countries led by long-ruling authoritarian leaders, including Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon. He defended the Vatican’s approach of preserving open diplomatic ties.
“We don’t always make great proclamations … but there’s an awful lot of work that goes on behind the scenes to promote justice,” he said. The Vatican works quietly, he added, “so that the lives of people can be improved.”
Why this matters
The pope’s Africa tour took him to Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea. In public events, he spoke forcefully about inequality, despots, and the needs of the continent, where a growing share of the world’s Catholics live.
Throughout the trip and on the return flight, Leo kept returning to the theme of peace. He carries the photo of the dead Lebanese child as an ever-present reminder, he suggested, a small image of one young life ended prematurely amid bigger battles.
The pope’s words come at a tense moment as the U.S.-Israel war with Iran has spilled over borders, claimed civilian lives on multiple sides, and tested international relations.
Leo categorically stated that he is against war, against the killing of innocents, no matter who pulls the trigger.
