JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.GET SAVED NOW- CALL ON JESUS TODAY.THE ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE EARTH - NO OTHER. 1 COR 15:23-JESUS THE FIRST FRUITS-CHRISTIANS RAPTURED TO JESUS-FIRST FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.ROMANS 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE)
TRUMP AND POPE DISAGREE ON IRAN WAR.
THE FALSE VATICAN POPE LEO 14TH
ISAIAH 23:15-17
15 And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot.
16 Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered.
17 And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.(COULD THIS BE 70 YEARS AFTER ISRAEL BECAME A NATION IN 1948)(IF SO THIS SATANIC ONE WORLD WHORE CHURCH WILL MINGLE TOGETHER BY 2018)(AND NOW ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY AND ALL RELIGIONS ARE MINGLING AS ONE PEACE-LOVE-JOY-GET ALONG RELIGION LEAD BY THE VATICAN RIGHT NOW 4 YEARS FROM THE 70 YEAR TIME WHEN ISRAEL BECAME A NATION).AND IN CONTROL OF JERUSALEM.
REVELATION 13:11-18
11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth;(FALSE VATICAN POPE) and he had two horns like a lamb,(JESUS IS THE LAMB OF GOD) and he spake as a dragon.(HES SATANICALLY INSPIRED,HES A CHRISTIAN DEFECTOR FROM THE FAITH)
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him,(WORLD DICTATOR) and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.(THE WORLD DICTATOR CREATES A FALSE RESURRECTION AND IS CROWNED LEADER OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER).
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16 And he(FALSE POPE) causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:(CHIP IMPLANT)
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.(6-6-6) A NUMBER SYSTEM
REVELATION 17:1-18
1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:(VATICAN)
2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication,(VATICAN IN POLITICS) and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.(THATS PEDOPHELIA-FORNICATION IS SINGLES HAVING SEX OUT SIDE OF MARRIAGE)(AND SINCE PREISTS CAN NOT MARRY IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THIS FALSE CHURCH GOES AGAINST THE BIBLE.THE CATHOLIC CHURCH BECOMES A HOMOSEXUAL HAVEN OF PEDOPHILIAS FACTORY).
3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4 And the woman (FALSE CHURCH) was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour,(VATICAN COLOURS)(ANOTHER REASON WE KNOW THE FALSE POPE COMES FROM THE VATICAN) and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:(THE VATICAN GOES AGAINST A PRIEST MARRING A WOMAN-LIKE THE BIBLE SAYS-AND WHATS AN ABOMINATION AGAINST GOD-HOMOSEXUALITY AND PEDOPHILIA JUST LIKE THIS SCRIPTURE SAYS-FORNICATION IS THE SINGLE HOMOSEXUAL PRIESTS IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH HAVING UNMARRIED FORNICATION OR SEX WITH SINGLES-IN THIS CASE ITS SEX WITH CHILDREN OR PEDOPHILIA)
5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.(THE VATICAN IS BUILT ON 7 HILLS OR MOUNTAINS)
10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen,(1-ASSYRIA,2-EGYPT,3-BABYLON,4-MEDO-PERSIA,5-GREECE) and one is,(IN POWER IN JOHNS AND JESUS DAY-6-ROME) and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.(7TH-REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE OR THE EUROPEAN UNION TODAY AND THE SHORT SPACE IS-THE EUROPEAN UNION WILL HAVE WORLD CONTROL FOR THE LAST 3 1/2 YEARS.BUT WILL HAVE ITS MIGHTY WORLD POWER FOR THE FULL 7 YEARS OF THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD.AND THE WORLD DICTATOR WILL BE THE BEAST FROM THE EU.AND THE VATICAN POPE WILL BE THE WHORE THAT RIDES THE EUROPEAN UNION TO POWER.AND THE 2 EUROPEAN UNION POWER FREAKS WILL CONTROL AND DECIEVE THE WHOLE EARTH INTO THEIR DESTRUCTION.IF YOU ARE NOT SAVED BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS.YOU WILL BE DECIEVED BY THESE TWO.THE WORLD POLITICIAN-THE EUROPEAN UNION DICTATOR.AND THE FALSE PROPHET THAT DEFECTS CHRISTIANITY-THE FALSE VATICAN POPE.
11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.(VATICAN-CATHOLICS ALL AROUND THE WORLD OVER 1 BILLION)
16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast,(WORLD DICTATOR) these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.(GOD HIMSELF GIVES THE OK TO NUKE THE VATICAN)
17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.(VATICAN)
HOW THE FALSE POPE IS ELECTED
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj3Qnr_30Z4
POPE FRANCIS SISTER (PEDOPHILIA WAY WORSE THEN THOUGHT) (CARDINAL MATEO TERESCO-THE NEXT COVERUP POPE OF PEDOPHILIA)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usFshfmBPmY
FALSE POPE LEO 14TH 2012 INTERVIEW
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXVkJ5TQi1s
POPE 14TH WILL BE WORSE THAN FRANCIS.
https://banned.video/watch?id=681cf97a22a2c8ae0e09b5d0
Trump slams Pope Leo as ‘weak’ and posts picture of himself as Jesus healing the sick-President claims ‘if I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican’ in Truth Social tirade-Owen Scott-Monday 13 April 2026 08:28 BST
President Trump has branded Pope Leo XIV as “WEAK” on crime and “terrible” on foreign policy, in a late-night Truth Social blitz which also saw him uploading an AI-generated image of himself dressed as Jesus.Last week, Pope Leo said Trump’s warning that an “entire civilization will die tonight,” in reference to Iran, was “unacceptable.” The pope has also suggested that a “delusion of omnipotence” is fueling the war between the United States and Iran.Leo responded to Trump’s outburst later on Monday.In his lengthy Truth Social post, the president claimed that the Catholic Church’s leadership had been “arresting priests, ministers, and everybody else” in the midst of the Covid pandemic and suggested that he preferred the pope’s brother.“I like his brother Louis much better than I like him, because Louis is all MAGA,” the president blasted. “He gets it, and Leo doesn’t!“I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon.”Pope Leo responded to Donald Trump on Monday and said he would always speak out in favour of peace. “I have no fear of the Trump administration, or speaking out loudly of the message of the gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do, what the Church is here to do,” he told reporters. “I don’t want to get into a debate with Trump.”“I will continue to speak out loudly against war, looking to promote peace, promoting dialogue and multilateral relationships among the states to look for just solutions to problems,” Leo continued aboard a papal flight to Algiers, where he is embarking on a 10-day tour to four African countries.“Too many people are suffering in the world today,” he said. “Too many innocent people are being killed. And I think someone has to stand up and say there’s a better way.”The US president went on to suggest that his own election played a role in the Catholic Church’s choice of pope in May 2025.“Leo should be thankful because, as everyone knows, he was a shocking surprise,” the president wrote. “He wasn’t on any list to be Pope, and was only put there by the Church because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump.“If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican.”Trump added: “Leo should get his act together as Pope, use Common Sense, stop catering to the Radical Left, and focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician.”Around 40 minutes after his tirade was posted, Trump uploaded an AI-generated image of himself dressed as Jesus.In the picture, the president is bathed in golden light as he places a shining hand on a sleeping man’s forehead.A nurse and a praying woman are both kneeling around the patient in the image, while a man in a camouflage uniform looks on. A fourth individual, dressed in a green uniform, is also by the patient’s bedside.In the background, a huge U.S. flag, a pair of bald eagles and a trio of military planes can be seen flying through the air.The post sparked a backlash from Christian groups and has since been taken down from the president’s profile. Trump denied it depicted him as Jesus, telling reporters: “I thought it was me as a doctor.”Former Trump loyalist Marjorie Taylor Greene shredded the president’s post, stating that she was “praying against it.”“On Orthodox Easter, President Trump attacked the Pope because the Pope is rightly against Trump’s war in Iran and then he posted this picture of himself as if he is replacing Jesus,” Greene wrote on X. “This comes after last week’s post of his evil tirade on Easter and then threatening to kill an entire civilization.“I completely denounce this and I’m praying against it!!!”Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, also issued a statement in response to Trump’s post.“I am disheartened that the President chose to write such disparaging words about the Holy Father,” he wrote. “Pope Leo is not his rival; nor is the Pope a politician.“He is the Vicar of Christ who speaks from the truth of the Gospel and for the care of souls.”
ANYBODY WITH A MIND KNOWS TRUMP WAS TALKING ABOUT THE LEADERS OF IRAN.NOT ALL IRANIANS OR IRAN WOULD BE SMOTHERED WITH MIGRATING BIRDS EATING THEIR FLESH.AS TRUMP WOULD HAVE NUKED THEM INTO HELL FIRE FOREVER.
Pope Leo calls Trump’s threat to destroy Iranian civilization ‘unacceptable’The pope made his first direct appeal to Trump last week-Joshua McElwee & Yesim Dikmen-Tuesday 07 April 2026 21:13 BST
Pope Leo has labeled Donald Trump’s latest threats against Iran "unacceptable" in an unusual appeal hours after the U.S. president said "a whole civilization will die tonight.”Leo, an outspoken critic of the Iran war, called on citizens across the world to contact their political representatives and urge them to bring the expanding conflict to an end.“Today, as we all know, there was this threat against all the people of Iran. This is truly unacceptable,” the pope said Tuesday. "There are certainly issues here of international law, but even more than that, it is a moral question for the good of the (world's) people.”It is rare for the pope, who leads 1.4 billion Catholics around the world, to respond directly to a world leader.The pope was referencing a social media post by Trump that shocked world leaders and led to calls for his removal via the 25th amendment.“A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will,” the U.S. president wrote in a Truth Social post Tuesday.“However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS?” Trump continued.“We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World. 47 years of extortion, corruption, and death, will finally end. God Bless the Great People of Iran!”Strait of Hormuz deadline-Trump said Monday that he was "not at all" concerned about committing possible war crimes after repeatedly vowing to strike civilian infrastructure if the Iranian regime does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz.He has threatened to destroy Iran's bridges and power plants if Tehran does not meet his 8pm EDT (1am BST) deadline.At least 50 Democratic members of Congress are calling on the Trump administration to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove the president from office over his escalating threats against Iran.The House and Senate are still on recess, and vice-president JD Vance is overseas, so there would not be any imminent action, if any was even possible.Pope’s rare appeals to Trump-Leo, who is known for choosing his words carefully, has been ramping up his criticism of the U.S-Israeli war against Iran in recent weeks.The pope made his first direct appeal to Trump last week, urging him to find an "off-ramp" to end the conflict.Speaking to journalists outside his residence in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, Tuesday, Leo called on citizens across the world to contact their political representatives and ask them to bring the expanding regional conflict to an end."People want peace," he said. "I would invite the citizens of all the countries involved to contact the authorities -- political leaders, congressmen -- to ask them to work for peace."Leo also said that many people have referred to the conflict as an "unjust war", using terminology to indicate hostilities that go against the Catholic Church's strong pro-life teachings.He urged people to "remember especially the innocent children, the elderly, the sick, so many people who have already become or will become victims of this continued warfare".The pope also said that attacks on civilian infrastructure "are against international law".
Pope Leo’s appeal to the silent majority that chooses peace-Pope Leo XIV calls upon billions of people around the world to engage in a shared commitment against the “madness of war,” those who, in this dramatic hour of history, do not surrender to the idolatry of money and power.By Andrea Tornielli 11/04/2026
Pope Leo at Prayer Vigil for Peace: Stop planning arms and death-Faced with massacres and wars caused by the idolatry of power—by those who even presume to 'enlist' God on their side, offering religious justification for the killing of innocents—Pope Leo XIV has appealed to the overwhelming majority of people throughout the world who want peace, believe in peace, pray for peace, and build it day by day. He did so on the evening of Saturday, April 11, 2026, during the Prayer Vigil he convoked to implore an end to the wars currently underway.Already on Tuesday, April 7, something similar had taken place at Castel Gandolfo: in the face of the threat to annihilate Iranian civilization, announced on social media by the President of the United States, the Successor of Peter had invited citizens of that country to contact members of Congress to ask for peace and to halt the massive attack on Iran’s infrastructure. Now, on the very day marking the 63rd anniversary of the Encyclical Pacem in Terris by Pope St. John XXIII, that same call has become universal and is addressed to the “millions and billions of men and women, young and old, who today choose to believe in peace" and who are "caring for the wounds and repairing the damage left behind by the madness of war." Pope Leo asks that particular attention be given to the voices of children who have seen their peers die under bombs in Gaza, in Iran, in Ukraine, and in many other parts of the world.Less than a week before the celebration of Easter, and on the eve of Eastern Easter, the memorial of the Prince of Peace's defenseless victory, the Bishop of Rome thus places his hope in the prayer of a silent majority, in order to face the dramatic hour of history that humanity is living through. He asks that the invocations of so many be united with the “infinite possibilities of God,” in an effort to break what he calls a “demonic cycle of evil.”The words of the Pope, who has made peace the hallmark of his magisterium, are unequivocal both in identifying the ultimately diabolical root of war and in rejecting outright any revival of the claim that “God is with us.” No, God cannot be with those who massacre civilians. God is with those who suffer, with those who die beneath the rubble.Some expressions used by Pope Leo XIV are striking: prayer is “bulwark against that delusion of omnipotence that surrounds us and is becoming increasingly unpredictable and aggressive,” because those who pray are aware of their own limits and neither kill nor threaten. The exact opposite is true of those who make “themselves and their own power into a mute, blind and deaf idol, to which they sacrifice every value, demanding that the whole world bend its knee."It would be mistaken to consider this pressing invitation to prayer as an escape into spiritualism. This is demonstrated by another passage in the reflection of the Successor of Peter. After recalling the responsibility of each person to build peace, encounter, and friendship everywhere, Pope Leo XIV invites us to believe “in love, moderation and good politics.” A politics that does not consider words like dialogue and negotiations inappropriate, but instead finally seeks a ceasefire and then, lasting peace agreements.
Cardinal Parolin: We need more voices calling for peace-In a recent interview with the Italian quarterly 'Dialoghi,' Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, discusses the fragility of diplomacy, the rise of the logic of the strongest, the importance of the United Nations, and the need to empty nuclear arsenals.By Benedetta Capelli
“It is a utopia to think that peace is guaranteed by weapons and by balances imposed by the strongest, rather than by international agreements.” Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, reflects on the crises and wars inflaming the world in an interview with “Dialoghi,” the cultural quarterly of Italian Catholic Action.His words also contain a strong condemnation of rearmament.“We firmly believe that arsenals must be emptied, starting with nuclear ones.” He also recalls the failure to renew agreements for the progressive reduction of atomic weapons, which, the Cardinal emphasizes, has “given even freer rein to the construction of deadly instruments capable of annihilating life on earth.”“There is a need for more voices for peace, more voices against the madness of the arms race, more voices,” he urges, “raised in favor of our poorest brothers and sisters, more voices and more proposals — I am thinking, for example, of the world of Catholic universities — for new economic models inspired by justice and care for the weakest, rather than by the idolatry of money.”The “wound” of the Russia–Ukraine war“There is a need for a surge of humanity and responsibility on the part of everyone. Instead,” the Cardinal continues, “it is painful to note that in many cases the only response is rearmament.”Recalling the hope of Saint Pope John Paul II, who dreamed of a united Europe, Cardinal Parolin emphasizes that history “has gone in another direction, and instead of a freer and more united world, we have seen a more unstable one emerge, without effective remedies being put in place for the terrible injustices that cause millions of people to suffer from hunger, thirst, lack of even minimal healthcare, and undignified working conditions.”His thoughts turn to Ukraine, a war at the heart of Christian Europe, “a wound” that calls out to us. “I have the impression,” the Cardinal notes, “that the devastation this war has caused in Ukraine is not sufficiently perceived: the enormous human toll, the destruction of cities and infrastructure.”The primacy of power-From Ukraine to Gaza, “many governments,” Cardinal Parolin notes, “have expressed outrage over attacks on Ukrainian civilians by Russian missiles and drones, imposing sanctions on the aggressors. It does not seem that the same has happened with the tragedy of the destruction of Gaza.”He points to the “use of double standards,” linked to a “primacy of power,” the dominance of one’s own country over others, justified by international law and invoked “only when convenient,” but ignored in many other cases.At the root, the Secretary of State argues, is the crisis of diplomacy, which appears “mute, incapable of activating alternative instruments,” replaced by the logic of the strongest. “There seems to be a loss of awareness of the value of peace, the tragedy of war, and the importance of shared rules — and of respecting them.”The UN and the Board of Peace“Diplomacy,” the Cardinal explains, “is the art of the possible and can never operate according to pre-established schemes imposed from above or based on abstract doctrines.”Cardinal Parolin says it must start from reality, “even if, at times, it is frightening,” and requires patience and attention to achievable results.Regarding Europe, which is unable to speak with one voice, there is a need to “revive in peoples a sense of European belonging and, among leaders, an awareness of the need for common action, without ever abandoning the principles that underpin the European Union.”As for the United Nations, the Cardinal reiterates that “the Holy See continues to believe in its importance,” considering international organizations essential “to restrain the logic of the strongest.” Certainly, vetoes have limited its impact, but, he adds, it is necessary not to “move from the force of law to the law of force.”Concerning the Board of Peace, although the Holy See has not joined it, he says, it “keeps dialogue open with the countries involved,” as it is willing to do everything possible to promote peace and reconstruction, in close collaboration with the Catholic Church in the Holy Land.“I consider it necessary,” Cardinal Parolin emphasizes, “that international bodies and the Palestinians themselves take part, because it is not possible to decide the future of the Strip while ignoring its legitimate inhabitants, who are citizens of the State of Palestine — an entity that must be safeguarded against any attempt at annexation, which is contrary to United Nations resolutions and to the basic principles of justice. ”Supporting the voice of the Popes-Reflecting on the voice of the Popes in times of crisis, Cardinal Parolin recalls that it is a “voice in the desert” if it is not supported.Regarding the Trump administration’s appeal to religious values, he points out certain inconsistencies: “The Christian faith is not a display counter of various products from which the buyer may choose. We cannot claim to love and defend life while caring only about the unborn, without recognizing that the lives of migrants who die at sea are also lives.”On Venezuela, he reaffirms the Holy See’s past efforts to find a solution that would avoid bloodshed, adding that “regardless of what has happened and how it happened, we continue to support a peaceful solution, asking that the country’s self-determination and the good of the Venezuelan people be respected.”International scenarios-Regarding Greenland, after President Trump’s threat to annex it, Cardinal Parolin notes that, while appreciating the joint effort of the Danish government and Greenland’s autonomous government to reach an understanding with the United States, what happened “has led the Greenlandic people to a renewed awareness of their own identity.”On Iran, he reiterates the need to respect human rights and the demands of the population, “patiently cultivating dialogue and peace.”Asked about China, Cardinal Parolin recalls that “dialogue continues, despite the difficulties.” He emphasizes once again that “the provisional agreement signed in September 2018 is neither a concordat nor a political-diplomatic agreement, but concerns solely the procedure for appointing bishops.”“The fact that today in China all bishops are in communion with the Pope,” he explains, “is fundamental.”Regarding Hong Kong, “the Church continues to engage in dialogue with the authorities and to ensure religious freedom.”Not forgetting the face of the other-Finally, reflecting on the enormous advances in technology and the need to respect limits. “We must defend humanity,” Cardinal Parolin states, “and fight against dehumanization.”On social media, the Cardinal denounces “the use of hateful, contemptuous language that shows no respect for others,” which generates fear and leads to the identification of supposed enemies.“As Christians,” the Vatican Secretary of State concludes, “we must oppose this drift through our daily witness: hatred, war, and violence begin when we forget the face of the other.”
Holy See calls for halt to escalating violence in the Middle East-Addressing the UN in Geneva, Archbishop Balestrero stresses the impact on civilians and refugees, urging an immediate halt to violence-By Vatican News
The Holy See has expressed deep concern over the escalating violence in the Middle East, warning of its grave human rights and humanitarian consequences, during a series of interventions delivered on the 26th of March at the United Nations in Geneva.Addressing the Human Rights Council, Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, Apostolic Nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See, spoke of the “tragic events unfolding in the Middle East in these dramatic days,” and expressed “profound sorrow for the many innocent victims across the region, including children, as well as for those who have been displaced, particularly families.”He highlighted the alarming nature of ongoing attacks against civilian infrastructure, including “hospitals, schools and residential areas,” noting with concern that some are reportedly AI-enabled.Quoting Pope Leo XIV, Archbishop Balestrero stressed that the suffering caused by such violence cannot be ignored: “We cannot remain silent in the face of the suffering of so many defenceless people who are victims of these conflicts. What hurts them hurts all of humanity.”He reiterated that “peace and stability cannot be achieved through weapons and retaliation, which only sow death and destruction,” and instead called for “peaceful means such as diplomacy and dialogue, and by adhering fully to international law.” Echoing the Pope’s appeal, he urged all parties “to assume the moral responsibilities of halting this spiral of violence before it becomes an unbridgeable chasm.”The plight of refugees-Earlier the same day, speaking at the 95th meeting of the UNHCR Standing Committee on operations in the Middle East and North Africa, the Holy See again drew attention to the growing humanitarian crisis linked to ongoing conflicts.Archbishop Balestrero warned that “while humanitarian needs are dramatically increasing, the resources allocated to providing assistance are shrinking,” pointing to “the stark disproportion between the resources allocated to weapons and war, and those devoted to serving of life.”He emphasised that displacement must not be treated as an abstract issue: “Refugees are not just statistics to be managed; they are individuals, men and women, boys and girls, each with a name, a face and a story.” He also highlighted the long-term impact on children, many of whom are growing up “deprived of stable family environments, education and even the simple joy of play.”The Holy See called on the international community to strengthen solidarity, particularly as “the vast majority of refugees is hosted by developing countries,” urging more predictable funding and increased opportunities for resettlement.In the same intervention, Archbishop Balestrero underlined the need to address root causes, stating that “war and violence are never inevitable; they always stem from policies and decisions that lead to terrible consequences.” He also called for an end to “hateful and vengeful language” and renewed commitment to dialogue, quoting Pope Leo XIV: “Stability and peace are not achieved through mutual threats, nor through the use of weapons… but only through reasonable, sincere, and responsible dialogue.”Europe-A further brief intervention focused on Europe, where the Holy See noted that more than four years after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the humanitarian consequences remain severe. It reiterated its appeal for “an immediate cessation of hostilities,” stressing that “peace cannot be postponed” and welcoming continued efforts by States to host and support refugees, including the extension of temporary protection measures.
