Pope Leo Warns Against ‘Delusion of Omnipotence’ in Vigil for Peace at St. Peter’s
Pope Leo led a vigil for peace at St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday, condemning what he described as the ‘delusion of omnipotence’ fueling wars around the world. In his prayer, he emphasized the importance of prayer in connecting human limitations with divine power, saying, “Thoughts, words and deeds then break the demonic cycle of evil and are placed at the service of the Kingdom of God.”
The pope called for a world where there are no swords, drones, vengeance, or trivialization of evil, but only dignity, understanding, and forgiveness. He warned that the illusion of unchecked power is becoming increasingly unpredictable and aggressive, threatening global stability. Leo also posted on X and during the vigil that war divides humanity, while hope and faith have the power to unite.
Leo’s remarks came as the Biden administration engaged in talks with Iran in Islamabad, amid an uneasy ceasefire. U.S. Vice President JD Vance and a delegation met with Iranian officials, marking a rare diplomatic effort. The pope’s comments follow his earlier condemnation of threats made by former President Donald Trump against Iran, which he called “truly unacceptable.”
Earlier this week, Trump posted on Truth Social that a civilization might be lost and expressed hope for Iran. Hours later, he announced a two-week ceasefire, conditioned on Iran opening the Strait of Hormuz. Trump told reporters outside the White House that the outcome of the talks was uncertain, saying, “We win regardless of what happens. Maybe they make a deal, maybe they don’t.”
For weeks, the pope had issued muted appeals for peace, but during his Easter blessing last Sunday, he urged those with weapons to lay them down and called for leaders to choose peace. He also referenced Pope Francis’ warning about a “globalization of indifference” and highlighted the ongoing violence in global conflicts, expressing concern over humanity’s increasing thirst for death and destruction.
Fox News’ Jasmine Baehr and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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