25/05/2026
Share:
25/05/2026
Share:
VATICAN CITY, May 25: Pope Leo XIV has described the concept of a “just war,” as put forward by the administration of US President Donald Trump, as “outdated,” warning that humanity is increasingly drifting toward a “violent culture of power.”
The remarks came in his first encyclical, titled Magnifica Humanitas (Magnificent Humanity), a wide-ranging manifesto that primarily addresses the rise of artificial intelligence but also strongly revisits his anti-war stance, a position that has previously created friction with Washington.
In the document, the US-born pontiff stated: “Today, more than ever, without prejudice to the right to self-defence in the strictest sense, it is important to reaffirm that the ‘just war’ theory, which has all too often been used to justify any kind of war, is now outdated.”
He further emphasized that humanity now possesses more effective means to resolve conflicts peacefully, including “dialogue, diplomacy and forgiveness,” which he said should take precedence over armed confrontation.
Pope Leo warned that global society risks being shaped by increasing violence and power struggles if such approaches are not replaced by stronger commitments to peaceful resolution and international cooperation.
The encyclical marks one of the most significant early policy statements of his papacy, blending concerns over technology with a renewed call for global peace and restraint in the use of military force.
