Pope says ‘there is no such thing as a holy war' in message to religious leaders

During a weekly general audience held at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City on October 21, 2026, Pope Leo XIV delivered a message to religious leaders. In this communication, the Pope explicitly stated that there is no such thing as a holy war. The event was captured in photographs by Massimo Valicchia for NurPhoto via Getty Images as the Pope blessed the gathered crowd while emphasizing this stance on the nature of conflict and faith.