Speaking on Thursday at St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Bamenda, a region in northwestern Cameroon plagued by nearly a decade of separatist violence, the Pontiff delivered a message that resonated far beyond the local conflict. His remarks come amid an escalating feud with the White House over the US-Israeli military campaign in Iran.
“Woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic or political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth,” the Pope stated.
The Pontiff’s critique aligns with his previous rejections of the Trump administration’s rhetoric, which has been criticized for framing the war in Iran as a divine “holy war.” US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth previously described the conflict as fighting “in Jesus’ name,” and President Donald Trump has repeatedly suggested divine support for the operation.
Pope Leo expanded his criticism to include economic exploitation, specifically calling out those who profit from war. “The masters of war pretend not to know that it takes only a moment to destroy, yet often a lifetime is not enough to rebuild,” the Pope said. “They turn a blind eye to the fact that billions of dollars are spent on killing and devastation, yet the resources needed for healing, education and restoration are nowhere to be found”.
The address was part of a peace meeting that included Christian and Muslim leaders who have united in Cameroon to mediate between government forces and separatist fighters. Pope Leo held up this interfaith cooperation as a model for the rest of the world.
The remarks come just days after President Trump launched a scathing personal attack on the Pontiff on social media, calling the Chicago-born Pope “WEAK on Crime and terrible for Foreign Policy.” Trump later deleted an AI-generated image of himself depicted as a Christ-like figure following widespread backlash.
Responding to the feud earlier this week, Pope Leo told reporters he had “no fear” of the administration and would continue to “speak out loudly about the message of the Gospel”
