--- title: "Pope Leo XIV Denounces Holy War Justifications" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/pope-leo-xiv-denounces-holy-war-justifications" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/pope-leo-xiv-denounces-holy-war-justifications" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/pope-leo-xiv-denounces-holy-war-justifications.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/pope-leo-xiv-denounces-holy-war-justifications" category: "Politics" published: "2026-10-27T18:05:43.191Z" source_reported: "2026-10-27T16:44:11.000Z" updated: "2026-10-27T18:45:17.340Z" trust_score: 42 critic_score: 59 hype_score: 20 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-10-27T18:45:14.823697+00:00" --- # Pope Leo XIV Denounces Holy War Justifications *Pontiff states "no war is holy" in video message to Assisi peace gathering.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 42 of 100, higher is better. The central claim is attributed to Pope Leo XIV, and the Independent provides a full report with named individuals and specific details. - Craft 59 of 100, higher is better. The Independent's report is well-structured, clearly separating facts from comment and providing context for the event. - Hype 20 of 100, lower is better. The language used is measured and proportionate, with no sensationalism or clickbait elements present. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Pope Leo XIV declared "there is no such thing as a holy war" in a video message to religious leaders. - The Pope's in-person attendance at the Assisi gathering was cancelled as he recovers from lung cancer surgery. - The Assisi event commemorated the 40th anniversary of an interfaith peace meeting initiated by St. John Paul II. - Reports indicate that Russia's Orthodox Church has justified the invasion of Ukraine as a holy war. Pope Leo XIV stated that "there is no such thing as a holy war" in a video message delivered to religious leaders gathered in Assisi. He also said that "only peace is holy." The Pope was scheduled to attend the event in person but cancelled his participation as he recovers from lung cancer surgery performed on October 13. The Assisi gathering marked the 40th anniversary of an interfaith peace meeting originally called by St. John Paul II. In his message, Pope Leo XIV denounced what he called the "troubling revival of war as an instrument of international politics" and its justification by leaders. He urged attendees to "cultivate the spirit of Assisi" and stated that "war can never be waged in the name of God." He called for rebuilding peace everywhere rather than preparing for more wars. ## Disagreement on justifications for war The Independent reported that Russia's Orthodox Church has justified Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a "holy war" against the West. The same outlet also reported that U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has invoked his Christian faith to frame the Iran war as a conflict where a Christian nation seeks to vanquish its foes. Other reports do not contain these specific claims about the justifications for the wars in Ukraine or Iran. ## What the coverage left out None of the reports printed below mention Monsignor Luis Marín de San Martín visiting Ukraine with humanitarian aid, nor do they detail the Pope's phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin or Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy regarding a cease-fire and aid delivery in Oleshky. No right-rated outlet ran this story. ## Who covered it Shares of the 16 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 56% (9) - Centre: 31% (5) - Right: 13% (2) 17 of 33 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-10-27T18:45:14.823697+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 5 times; 1 check found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-10-27T19:30:35.253Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - The left-rated reports led with Pope Leo XIV's statement that "there is no such thing as a holy war." These reports included the Pope's cancellation of his in-person attendance due to recovery from lung cancer surgery. They also noted that the Assisi gathering marked the 40th anniversary of an interfaith peace meeting called by St. John Paul II. The Independent, which provided a full report, detailed that Russia's Orthodox Church has justified the invasion of Ukraine as a "holy war" and that U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has invoked his Christian faith to cast the Iran war as a Christian nation trying to vanquish its foes. ### Centre - The centre-rated reports also highlighted Pope Leo XIV's declaration that "there is no such thing as a holy war" and that "only peace is holy." These digests mentioned the Pope's video message to the Assisi peace meeting and his absence from the event due to recovery from surgery. The 40th anniversary of the interfaith peace meeting initiated by St. John Paul II was also noted across these reports. ### Right No separate framing summary. **Provisional coverage gap:** right. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 1 - high: 8 - unknown: 17 - veryHigh: 7 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [ceskenoviny.cz](https://ceskenoviny.cz/zpravy/2893915) — There Is No Holy War, only Peace Is Holy, the Pope Told Religious Leaders | ČeskéNoviny.cz - [yucatan.com.mx](https://yucatan.com.mx/mundo/2026/10/27/ninguna-guerra-es-santa-asegura-el-papa-leon-xiv-en-un-mensaje-a-representantes-religiones-reunidos-en-asis.html) — "No War Is Holy," Pope Leo XIV Assures in a Message to Religious Representatives Gathered in Assisi - [Observador](https://observador.pt/2026/10/27/nao-existe-nenhuma-guerra-santa-so-a-paz-e-santa-diz-papa-leao-xiv-em-mensagem-a-forum-em-assis) — "There Is No Holy War: only Peace Is Holy," Says Pope Leo XIV in Message to the Forum in Assisi - [Independent Español](https://independentespanol.com/noticias/no-existe-tal-cosa-como-una-guerra-santa-dice-el-papa-b3074380.html) — There Is No Such Thing as a Holy War, Says the Pope - [Quotidiano Nazionale](https://quotidiano.net/video/cronaca/papa-la-guerra-non-e-mai-santa-mai-farla-in-nome-di-dio-xkwt31o4) — Pope: War Is Never Holy, Never Do It in the Name of God - [The Record](https://troyrecord.com/2026/10/27/pope-no-holy-wars) — Pope says ‘there is no such thing as a holy war’ in message to religious leaders - [Dnoticias](https://dnoticias.pt/2026/10/27/510621-papa-defende-que-nenhuma-guerra-e-santa-perante-membros-de-varias-religioes) — Pope Defends that No War Is Holy Before Members of Various Religions - [Winnipeg Free Press](https://winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/faith/2026/10/27/pope-says-there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-holy-war-in-message-to-religious-leaders) — Pope says 'there is no such thing as a holy war' in message to religious leaders - [The Record](https://therecord.com/news/world/pope-says-there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-holy-war-in-message-to-religious-leaders/article_6e3904d6-8b36-53f4-8946-786967a16875.html) — Pope says ‘there is no such thing as a holy war’ in message to religious leaders - [St Catharines Standard](https://stcatharinesstandard.ca/news/world/pope-says-there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-holy-war-in-message-to-religious-leaders/article_79c4c385-2c97-5d29-90e7-4c4db4c0048f.html) — Pope says ‘there is no such thing as a holy war’ in message to religious leaders - [The Toronto Star](https://thestar.com/news/world/europe/pope-says-there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-holy-war-in-message-to-religious-leaders/article_85c89e84-08e5-5b3f-a1ee-c8e7fa570dcc.html) — Pope says ‘there is no such thing as a holy war’ in message to religious leaders - [The Independent (US)](https://the-independent.com/news/assisi-rome-vatican-ukraine-italian-b3074346.html) — Pope says 'there is no such thing as a holy war' in message to religious leaders - [Idaho Press](https://idahopress.com/news/world/pope-says-there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-holy-war-in-message-to-religious/article_ecc519c0-06d3-50df-865d-dc19081cecf0.html) — Pope says 'there is no such thing as a holy war' in message to religious leaders - [Ottumwa Courier](https://ottumwacourier.com/news/national_news/pope-says-there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-holy-war-in-message-to-religious/article_b28d6838-4bae-50d9-a606-791be2ed1d1c.html) — Pope says 'there is no such thing as a holy war' in message to religious leaders - [Oskaloosa Herald](https://oskaloosa.com/news/national_news/pope-says-there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-holy-war-in-message-to-religious/article_b877ee15-d06d-5b7d-8f65-55f2c922f7d9.html) — Pope says 'there is no such thing as a holy war' in message to religious leaders - [goSkagit](https://goskagit.com/news/nation/pope-says-there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-holy-war-in-message-to-religious/article_2581c556-6461-5bb1-803e-de8d4efdd772.html) — Pope says 'there is no such thing as a holy war' in message to religious leaders - [Crossville Chronicle](https://crossville-chronicle.com/news/ap_news/pope-says-there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-holy-war-in-message-to-religious/article_4e75e42a-8df1-5a56-b61f-128969b89bbd.html) — Pope says 'there is no such thing as a holy war' in message to religious leaders - [abc News](https://abcnews.com/International/wireStory/pope-thing-holy-war-message-religious-leaders-137610698) — Pope says 'there is no such thing as a holy war' in message to religious leaders - [Noticias ao Minuto](https://noticiasaominuto.com/mundo/3073869/papa-leao-xiv-afirma-que-nenhuma-guerra-e-santa) — Pope Leo XIV: "There Is No Holy War. Only Peace Is Holy" - [Vida Nueva - Revista y portal de noticias religiosas y de Iglesia](https://vidanuevadigital.com/2026/10/27/papa-leon-no-existe-ninguna-guerra-santa-solo-paz-santa) — Lion XIV: “There Is No Holy War: only Peace Is Holy” - [Gazeta Do Povo](https://gazetadopovo.com.br/mundo/papa-leao-xiv-rejeita-guerras-religiosas-e-diz-que-so-a-paz-e-sagrada) — Pope Leo XIV Rejects Religious Wars and Says that only Peace Is Sacred - [RomaSette](https://romasette.it/leone-allincontro-di-assisi-non-ce-nessuna-guerra-santa-solo-la-pace-e-santa) — Leo at the Meeting of Assisi: "There Is No Holy War, only Peace Is Holy" - [COPE | Noticias y radio online](https://cope.es/religion/hoy-en-dia/vaticano/noticias/leon-xiv-tajante-guerras-guerra-nunca-librarse-nombre-dios-luchar-nombre-religion-golpea-religion-no-existe-ninguna-guerra-santa-paz-santa-20261027_3463843.html) — Lion XIV, Sharp Against Wars: "War Can Never Be Fought in the Name of God, Fighting in the Name of Religion Strikes Religion Itself. There Is No Holy War: only Peace Is Holy!" - [Telegraf – Najnovije vesti](https://telegraf.rs/vesti/svet/4422092-papa-moramo-da-izgradimo-mir-a-ne-da-se-pripremamo-za-nove-ratove-rat-nikada-ne-sme-da-se-vodi-u-ime-bozje) — Pope: We Must Build Peace, Not Prepare for New Wars! War Must Never Be Fought in the Name of God - [Day Italia News](https://dayitalianews.com/papa-leone-xiv-lancia-appello-pace-nessuna-guerra-puo-essere-santa) — Pope Leo XIV Calls for Peace: "No War Can Be Holy" - [Askanews](https://askanews.it/2026/10/27/il-papa-mai-la-guerra-e-in-nome-di-dio-non-esiste-una-guerra-santa) — The Pope: Never War Is in the Name of God, There Is No Holy War - [domradio.de](https://domradio.de/artikel/papst-leo-xiv-kritisiert-rueckkehr-des-krieges-als-mittel-der-politik) — Pope Leo XIV Criticizes the Return of War as a Means of Politics - [Agenzia giornalistica Opinione](https://agenziagiornalisticaopinione.it/rassegnastampa/losservatore-romano-rassegna-stampa-in-edicola-oggi-27-10-2026-non-ce-nessuna-guerra-santa-solo-la-pace-e-santa-leone-xiv-con-un-videomessaggio-si-rivolge-ai-partecipanti-ad) — "L'Osservatore ROMANO" - PRESS REVIEW / NEWS TODAY 27/10/2026 * "NON NO SAINT WAR: ONLY PEACE IS SANTA! / LIONE XIV WITH A VIDEOMESSAGE IS REVOLVED TO PARTICIPANTS IN INTERNATIONAL MEETING "SARMATES AND DISARMANT PEACE" / THE PONTEFICE REAFFECTS THE LAW BETWEEN RELIGIOUS ATTIGATION AND SENSIBILITY FOR PEACE, EXORTING TO RECOVERY OVUNQUE PEACE ATTRACTING PRAYER AND DIALOGUE - Journalist Agency Opinion. News From Italy - World / Trentino Alto Adige - [Lapresse](https://lapresse.it/vaticano/2026/10/27/papa-leone-xiv-basta-preparare-altre-guerre-solo-la-pace-e-santa) — Pope Leo XIV: "Just Prepare Other Wars, only Peace Is Holy" - [La Repubblica](https://repubblica.it/cronaca/2026/10/27/news/papa_assisi_messaggio_pace_guerra-425679077) — The Pope's Message at the Meeting in Assisi: "There Is No Holy War: only Peace Is Holy" - [Misyjne.pl](https://misyjne.pl/leon-xiv-do-asyzu-odbudowujmy-pokoj-nie-szykujmy-wojen) — Leo XIV to Assisi: Let Us Rebuild Peace, Let Us Not Prepare Wars - [ANSA](https://ansa.it/english/news/vatican/2026/10/27/pope-says-stop-preparing-for-more-wars-only-peace-is-holy_4ee3a8c0-e800-4721-a025-d6f704d8d6ba.html) — Pope Says Stop Preparing for More Wars, only Peace Is Holy - [Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer](https://messenger-inquirer.com/ap/ap_international_news/pope-says-there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-holy-war-in-message-to-religious/article_963435de-fa82-5851-a7e7-444e0a0da610.html) — Pope says 'there is no such thing as a holy war' in message to religious leaders ## Questions **What did Pope Leo XIV say about holy war?** Pope Leo XIV stated in a video message to religious leaders that "there is no such thing as a holy war" and that "only peace is holy." He denounced any religious justification for wars and urged for peace to be rebuilt. **Why did Pope Leo XIV not attend the Assisi gathering in person?** Pope Leo XIV cancelled his in-person attendance at the Assisi gathering because he was recovering from lung cancer surgery. He instead sent a video message to the religious leaders present. **What was the significance of the Assisi gathering?** The gathering in Assisi marked the 40th anniversary of a landmark interfaith peace meeting that was originally called by St. John Paul II. The event aimed to promote peace and dialogue among different religions. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/pope-leo-xiv-denounces-holy-war-justifications. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Pope Leo XIV Denounces Holy War Justifications", https://mediabias.news/politics/pope-leo-xiv-denounces-holy-war-justifications