Pope Leo XIV calls for an end to the “pandemic of arms” as he prays for “countless” children killed by firearms and in conflicts globally.
The US pontiff repeats his calls at the end of the Angelus prayer for a ceasefire in Ukraine following a Russian attack on Kyiv on Thursday in which at least 25 people died, including four children.
He also notes the recent shooting during a school mass in Minnesota in the United States, in which two children were killed.
“We include in our prayers the countless children killed and injured every day around the world. Let us plead God to stop the pandemic of arms, large and small, which infects our world,” he says in English.
On Ukraine, the pope says he urges the world “not to give in to indifference” and renews his “insistent call for an immediate ceasefire and for a serious commitment to dialogue.”
“It is time for those responsible to renounce the logic of arms and embark on the path of negotiation and peace, with the support of the international community,” he says.
Help us report truthfully on social media
As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos.
This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world.
If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to sustain responsible multimedia reporting.
— Gabriella Jacobs, multimedia journalist
Support our work
Support our work
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You're a dedicated reader
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
Join Our Community
Join Our Community
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
From the Liveblog of
Sunday, August 31, 2025
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
