Pope calls for peace, Trump vows hell for Iran on Easter
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Pope Leo XIV blesses the crowd during the Easter Mass in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City, Vatican, on Sunday. Photo: Massimo Valicchia/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Pope Leo XIV and the top U.S. Catholic bishop for the military both used Easter Sunday to emphasize Jesus' message of peace amid the escalating Iran war.
Why it matters: The first U.S.-born pope urged those who "unleash wars" to lay down weapons as President Trump continued his increasingly aggressive wartime rhetoric on Sunday to demand that Tehran "Open the Fuckin' Strait, you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in Hell — JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah."
- Leo and U.S. Roman Catholic leaders have voiced moral opposition to Trump's policies, notably on the the Iran war and immigration.
Driving the news: In Leo's first Easter mass, he called on people to "allow ourselves to be amazed by" Jesus Christ.
- "Let us allow our hearts to be transformed by his immense love for us. Let those who have weapons lay them down," the pontiff said.
- "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."
Meanwhile, Archbishop Timothy Broglio, who heads the Catholic Archdiocese for the Military Services USA, told CBS News' "Face the Nation" Sunday that Jesus "certainly brought a message of peace" and that war is "always" a last resort.
- Trump officials "may have information that led them to think" that war "was the only choice they had," Broglio said, emphasizing that he couldn't make a judgement on this because he doesn't know the driving factors behind the war.
- "But I do think that it's hard to cast this war, you know, as something that would be sponsored by the Lord."
The big picture: The pope has repeatedly spoken out against the Iran war as Trump has threatened to bomb bridges, energy, water and oil infrastructure in Iran if no deal is reached by Tuesday to open the throttled Strait of Hormuz.
The other side: White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the Trump administration's stance last Monday after being asked about Pope Leo's Palm Sunday homily that Jesus "does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them."
- "We've seen presidents, we've seen the leaders of the Department of War, and we've seen our troops go to prayer during the most turbulent times in our nation's history," said Leavitt, who is Catholic.
- "I don't think there's anything wrong with our military leaders or with the president calling on the American people to pray for our service members and those who are serving our country overseas. In fact, I think it's a very noble thing to do," she added.
- "And if you talk to many service members, they will tell you they appreciate the prayers and support from the commander-in-chief and from his Cabinet."
- Representatives for the White House did not immediately respond to Axios' Sunday afternoon request for comment.
Go deeper: Pope vs. Trump: Pontiff takes aim at U.S. policies
