Pope Leo warns Spain’s parliament the world is in ‘profound’ crisis
Weapons can impose a temporary silence but can never build lasting peace, he said, hours after Madrid mass for over one million people
Pope Leo on Monday told Spain’s parliament that escalating conflict, deepening polarisation and widespread disregard for human rights had pushed the world into a profound crisis, in one of his most expansive political addresses yet.
Leo, who has adopted a more forceful tone recently against the direction of global leadership, also firmly repeated his opposition to increased European military spending, urging politicians instead to end the wars ravaging the globe and help migrants.
“The world is undergoing a profound spiritual and cultural crisis, which is manifested in multiple forms of violence, polarisation, and mutual distrust,” the pope said, hours after Israel and Iran renewed their attacks on one another in the most serious test of a two-month ceasefire.
“Weapons can impose a temporary silence; but they can never build an authentic and lasting peace,” he said.
Leo’s speech, in Spanish, was received with a seven-minute standing ovation by lawmakers and was a rare papal address to a national legislature and the first by a pope to Spain’s parliament.