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Pope Leo XIV on Friday urged leaders not to remain indifferent to suffering in the Middle East, calling for dialogue and diplomacy amid the war in Iran and Lebanon.
“We cannot remain indifferent to such suffering that wounds human dignity and cries out to God for justice,” Leo said, referring to the situation in the region.
The seriousness of the conflict should prompt “a true conversion of heart and a change in attitude”, he added. “I therefore urge you never to resign yourselves to the prospect of war by considering it inevitable, but to tirelessly promote dialogue and diplomacy.”
Pope warns against a “paradise of machines”
Leo also warned about the risks posed by artificial intelligence, saying there was an “urgent need” to ensure humanity was not lost amid what he described as a “paradise of machines” increasingly shaping daily life.
While technological progress had significantly improved living conditions, it had also raised questions about “the ambiguous side of technology, which can cause harm when not used for good”, the pope said.
Referring to French writer Georges Bernanos’ 1947 essay “France Against the Robots”, Leo stressed the need to preserve a tradition of cultivating people who are free and fully responsible for their actions.
“There is an urgent need to train minds in ethical discernment, capable of recognizing what is morally good,” he said.
Four-day visit to France
Leo made the remarks during a four-day visit to France, which began on Friday with his arrival at Paris-Orly Airport, where he was welcomed by French President Emmanuel Macron.
His agenda includes a visit to the headquarters of UNESCO, a celebration at Notre-Dame de Paris and a vigil with young people at the Stade de France.
About 1 million people are expected in Paris on Friday and Saturday, according to France’s Interior Ministry. Around 14,000 police officers, gendarmes and soldiers have been deployed in the capital.
Leo will later travel to Lourdes and Metz before returning to Rome on Monday. The visit is the first apostolic trip by a pope to France since 2008.
