Dalai Lama backs Pope Leo’s anti-war appeal
The Dalai Lama on Monday endorsed Pope Leo XIV’s appeal for an end to violence, aligning with the pontiff’s Palm Sunday message that urged warring parties to lay down their arms and pursue peace.
“I wholeheartedly endorse the powerful appeal for peace made by the Holy Father, Pope Leo, during his Palm Sunday Mass,” the Tibetan spiritual leader said in a March 31 statement.
He added that the Pope’s call for “the laying down of arms and the renunciation of violence” had “resonated profoundly,” describing it as consistent with the teachings of major world religions.
“Whether we look to Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism or any of the world's great spiritual traditions, the message is fundamentally the same: love, compassion, tolerance, and self-discipline,” the Dalai Lama said. “Violence finds no true home in any of these teachings.”
The statement comes as conflicts in the Middle East and between Russia and Ukraine continue, with limited signs of near-term diplomatic resolution.
“History has shown us time and again that violence only begets more violence and is never a lasting foundation for peace,” he said.
The Dalai Lama called for efforts to resolve conflicts through non-violent means, saying: “An enduring resolution to conflict, including the ones we see in the Middle East or between Russia and Ukraine, must be rooted in dialogue, diplomacy and mutual respect.”
He added that such efforts should be “approached with the understanding that, at the deepest level, we are all brothers and sisters.”
Pope Leo XIV — the first American pontiff — said in his Palm Sunday homily at St. Peter’s Square that “Jesus does not listen to prayers of those who wage war, adding that the Lord “always rejects violence.”
In his message, the Dalai Lama said a prayer for an end to ongoing conflicts:
“I urge for and pray that the violence and conflicts may soon come to an end.”
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
