Emergency personnel work at the site of an Iranian strike, on Sunday, March 1, after Iran launched missile barrages following attacks by the U.S. and Israel on Feb. 28, 2026, in Beit Shemesh, Israel. (OSV News photo/Ammar Awad, Reuters)

On Sunday, March 1, during his Sunday Angelus address, Pope Leo XIV spoke about the rising tensions in the Middle East. Delivered from St. Peter’s square in Rome, below are the full remarks from the Holy Father. 

Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!

Today’s Gospel paints a radiant picture for all of us as it recounts the Transfiguration of the Lord (cf. Matthew 17:1-9).  In this depiction, the Evangelist draws on the Apostles’ memories, portraying Christ between Moses and Elijah.  The Word made flesh stands between the Law and the Prophets: he is living Wisdom, who brings every divine word to fulfillment.  Everything that God has commanded to and inspired in human beings finds its full and definitive expression in Jesus.

Just as on the day of his baptism in the Jordan, so too today on the mountain we hear the voice of the Father proclaiming, “This is my beloved Son,” while the Holy Spirit envelops Jesus in a “bright cloud” (Matthew 17:5).  The Gospel uses this unique expression to describe how God reveals himself.  When he manifests himself, the Lord makes his abundance visible to our gaze: standing before Jesus, whose face shines “like the sun” and whose clothes become “as white as light” (cf. v. 2), the disciples behold the human splendor of God.  Peter, James and John contemplate a humble glory, which is not displayed as a spectacle for the crowds to see, but in solemn intimacy.

The Transfiguration foreshadows the light of Easter: an event of death and resurrection, of darkness and new light that Christ radiates on all bodies scourged by violence, crucified by pain, or abandoned in misery.  Indeed, while evil reduces our flesh to a commodity or an anonymous mass, this same flesh shines with the glory of God.  The Redeemer thus transfigures the wounds of history, enlightening our minds and hearts: his revelation is a gift of salvation!  Does this captivate us?  Do we see the true face of God with a gaze of wonder and love?

The Father’s reply to the despair of atheism is the gift of his Son, the Savior; the Holy Spirit redeems us from the loneliness of agnosticism by offering us an everlasting communion of life and grace; and in response to our weak faith, the promise of the future resurrection is announced.  This is what the disciples saw in Christ’s splendor, but it took time for them to understand (cf. Matthew 17:9), time in silence to listen to the word, time for conversion in order to enjoy the Lord’s company.

As we experience this during Lent, let us ask Mary, teacher of prayer and Morning Star, to guide us in faith.

_______________________

After the Angelus 

Dear brothers and sisters!

I am following with deep concern what is happening in the Middle East and in Iran during this tumultuous time. Stability and peace are not achieved through mutual threats, nor through the use of weapons, which sow destruction, suffering, and death, but only through reasonable, sincere, and responsible dialogue.

Faced with the possibility of a tragedy of immense proportions, I make a heartfelt appeal to all the parties involved to assume the moral responsibility of halting the spiral of violence before it becomes an unbridgeable chasm. May diplomacy regain its proper role, and may the well-being of peoples, who yearn for peaceful existence founded on justice, be upheld. And let us continue to pray for peace.

In these days, troubling news has also arrived of clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan. I urgently appeal for a return to dialogue. Let us pray together that harmony may prevail in all conflicts throughout the world. Only peace, a gift of God, can heal the wounds between peoples.

I wish to express my closeness to those who have been severely affected by flooding in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. I pray for the victims, for the families who have lost their homes, and for all those involved in rescue efforts.

I extend a warm greeting to all of you, Romans and pilgrims from various countries, in particular the group of Cameroonians living in Rome, accompanied by the President of their Episcopal Conference, whom, God willing, I will have the joy of visiting in the month of April.

I welcome the faithful from the Diocese of Iași in Romania, from Budimir in Košice, Slovakia, from Massachusetts in the United States of America, and from the Confraternity of the Santísimo Cristo de la Buena Muerte from Jaén, Spain.

I greet the faithful from Naples, Torre del Greco, and Afragola; from Caraglio and Valle Grana; from Comitini, Crotone, Silvi Marina, and the parish of Saint Luigi Gonzaga in Rome; as well as the scout leaders of the “Val d’Illasi” group near Verona, and the young people from Faenza who have received the Sacrament of Confirmation.

I wish everyone a happy Sunday.

 

Editor’s note: Hours after delivering the Sunday Angelus, Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, released a statement echoing the sentiments of the pontiff. To read the statement from the USCCB, click here.