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Pope sets off firestorm after saying those who ‘drop bombs’ are not true Christians

April 10, 2026 | | Print Article

Pope Leo XIV, in a follow-up to the traditional Easter Sunday Urbi et Orbi (‘To the City and the World’) message, in which he called on world leaders to lay down their weapons, stated on Friday that those who launch bombs are not true Christians.

Speaking to bishops from Baghdad, the pope condemned the “blasphemy of war” and said peace comes from the “promotion of coexistence and dialogue,” not bombs. A message that conflicts with the actions and fiery rhetoric coming from President Donald Trump regarding the war on Iran, the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism.

“God does not bless any conflict. Anyone who is a disciple of Christ, the Prince of Peace, is never on the side of those who once wielded the sword and today drop bombs. Military action will not create space for freedom or times of #Peace, which comes only from the patient promotion of coexistence and dialogue among peoples,” posted the official X account for His Holiness.

“Absurd and inhuman violence is spreading ferociously through the sacred places of the Christian East, profaned by the blasphemy of war and the brutality of business, with no regard for people’s lives, which are considered at most collateral damage of self-interest. But no gain can be worth the life of the weakest, children, or families. No cause can justify the shedding of innocent blood,” the account posted in a follow up.

The postings come one day after the pope had a private meeting with David Axelrod, former “chief strategist” for Barack Obama.

On Easter Sunday, the pope said, “Let those who have weapons lay them down. Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace. Not a peace imposed by force, but through dialogue. Not with the desire to dominate others, but to encounter them.”

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The message drew criticism from many who pointed out that Pope Leo did not directly condemn Iran for killing its own citizens during the major anti-government protests that erupted at the beginning of the year.

At the same time, the Swiss Guard, a highly trained military unit tasked with protecting not only the Vatican, but the pope himself, is equipped with modern, high-end firearms and anti-drone technology.

Leo has pointed out that “many people” have said the Iran war “is an unjust war,” and he called Trump’s extreme threat earlier this week that a “whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran does not make a deal “truly unacceptable.”

In what could be seen as throwing kerosene on a raging fire, the pope’s official X account posted a third message Friday calling for “a more equitable distribution of wealth” to solve “unjust” world poverty.

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Social media lit up in response to Pope Leo’s latest message — here’s a quick sampling of responses to the story, as seen on X:

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Tom Tillison
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