US EditionHegseth Urges Prayer for Middle East Victory as Pope Warns Against War in Jesus' Name
The pontiff said Jesus rejects prayers used to justify violence as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urged Americans to pray for military victory.
- Pope Leo XIV rebuked leaders invoking Christianity to justify war on Palm Sunday, March 29, 2026, stating Jesus 'does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war' as U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran continue.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced criticism after leading a Pentagon prayer service on March 26, 2026, where he called for 'overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy' in the name of Jesus Christ.
- Tensions escalated on Good Friday, April 3, 2026, when the Pentagon chapel held a Protestant-only service, marking the first time in recent memory that no Catholic Mass was offered on the holy day, drawing immediate frustration.
- A new Reuters/Ipsos poll finds 86 percent of Americans are concerned for the lives of U.S. military personnel in Iran, while 56 percent believe the war will have broader consequences.
- Pope Leo confirmed he has not spoken directly with President Donald Trump regarding the conflict, maintaining consistent calls for an end to violence and a return to dialogue between all parties.
23 Articles
23 Articles
Hegseth Draws Scrutiny After Claims He Was 'Triggered' by Pope Leo's Anti-War Message Amid Curtailed Pentagon Catholic Services
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth faces mounting religious and legal scrutiny after praying publicly for 'overwhelming violence' in God's name, prompting Pope Leo XIV to respond with a Palm Sunday address declaring that Jesus 'rejects war' and that God refuses the prayers of those who wage it. The confrontation between America's defence chief and the head of the world's largest Christian denomination escalated further on Good Friday, 3 April 2026, …
Franklin Graham Responds to Pope’s War Comments, Cites King David: “God Does Take Sides”
Franklin Graham responded this week to remarks by Pope Leo XIV, pointing to the biblical example of King David to challenge the pope’s assertion that God rejects the prayers of those engaged in war. Graham made the comments during a Tuesday appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored, when host Piers Morgan asked him to address the pope’s Palm Sunday homily criticizing the use of Jesus’ name to justify armed conflict.
Hegseth's Prayer Service Targeted by 2 Lawsuits over So-Called 'White Christian Power Structures'
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth is a committed Christian, and his convictions have led him to renew the U.S. military’s orientation toward God. As part of that effort, Hegseth has […] The post Hegseth's Prayer Service Targeted by 2 Lawsuits over So-Called 'White Christian Power Structures' appeared first on The Western Journal.
Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Defense of the United States, has asked the American people to pray "every day, on their knees" for a military victory in the Middle East "in the name of Jesus Christ." Pope Leo XIV, the first pontiff born in the United States, has a radically different view of what should be done in the name of Jesus. In a homily delivered during Thursday morning Mass, before Easter, the Pope stated that the Christian mission has ofte…
Pope Rebukes Hegseth’s Religious Framing of War Effort
Washington, D.C. — A sharp divide has emerged between U.S. defense leadership and the Vatican over the role of religion in the ongoing Middle East conflict. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called on Americans to pray “every day, on bended knee” for U.S. military success, framing the conflict in religious terms tied to Christianity. His remarks came as U.S. forces continue operations involving Iran. In contrast, Pope Leo XIV warned against invokin…
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