ToplinePope Leo XIV criticized war and said “absurd and inhuman violence is spreading ferociously through the sacred places of the Christian East” in a new statement Friday, as the divide between the Vatican and Washington deepens amid President Donald Trump’s war with Iran. Pope Leo XIV leads his weekly general audience in St. Peter's square. (Photo by Maria Grazia Picciarella/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesKey Facts“God does not bless any conflict,” Leo wrote on X, adding, “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.”The statement comes after Leo directly rebuked Trump earlier this week after Trump threatened to kill “a whole civilization” ahead of his Tuesday deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Leo called Trump’s threat “truly unacceptable” and warned him that “attacks on civilian infrastructure is against international law,” calling the war “unjust.”Trump has not directly engaged in a back-and-forth with Leo, who has also criticized Trump’s immigration policies and his military campaigns in Venezuela and the Caribbean. TangentThe Pentagon on Thursday denied a report that it had a contentious meeting with the Vatican in January, tweeting that Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby had a “substantive, respectful, and professional meeting” with Cardinal Christophe Pierre, where “they discussed a range of topics, including issues of morality in foreign policy, the logic of the U.S. National Security Strategy, Europe, Africa, Latin America, and other topics.” The statement came after The Free Press reported the Pentagon made vague threats to the Vatican of military action if it did not support the U.S. The Pentagon said the report was “highly exaggerated and distorted.” U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch also rejected the reporting and said the Vatican’s relationship “remains strong and productive.”Key BackgroundLeo’s comments come after a ceasefire in the Iran war took effect on Tuesday, shortly before Trump’s deadline for attacking Iran’s civilian infrastructure if it refused to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The terms of the ceasefire are being heavily debated by both sides, with the U.S. and Israel insisting the agreement did not include Lebanon, where attacks by Israel continued. Pakistan will host peace talks in Islamabad starting Saturday, with Vice President JD Vance representing the U.S. in the discussions. Further ReadingPope Leo Tells Trump ‘Attacks On Civilian Infrastructure’ Unlawful Ahead Of Iran Deadline (Forbes)Pentagon Confirms It Met With Vatican—But Denies Reports Of A Bitter Clash—Amid The Pope’s Mounting Criticism (Forbes)