On this occasion of International Women's Day, Pope Leo XIV expressed his solidarity and prayers to all women who suffer forms of violence, following the Sunday Angelus.
From the window of the Apostolic Palace, the U.S.-born pontiff renewed the Church's commitment to the recognition of equality and lamented that the female gender is the target of systematic attacks.
"Unfortunately, many women continue to be discriminated against from childhood and suffer various forms of violence," he stated.
To them, in a special way, I express my solidarity and my prayers," he manifested to the crowd gathered in St. Peter's Square.
Through a letter published in the monthly magazine 'St. Peter's Square,' the Holy Father responded to the concern of an Italian faithful about gender-based violence, underlining that women are often killed for representing values that contradict a mentality of domination.
According to what the Argentine News Agency was able to learn, in his writing, Leo XIV urged to "implement specific projects to prevent and eradicate violence against women," emphasizing that the path must begin "with the education of young people."
He was also categorical in asking that aggressions not be minimized: "We must never underestimate an act of violence, and we must not fear to denounce it, including that climate of justification or that mitigates or denies responsibility."
In the same message, the Pope dedicated a critical space to the current geopolitical situation, demanding that the bombs cease in the Middle East for fear that the conflict will spread to neighboring nations like Lebanon.
With evident concern over the reports coming from Iran, Leo XIV asked that a space for genuine dialogue be opened to listen to the affected peoples.
'Let the roar of the bombs cease, let the arms fall silent and let a space for dialogue be opened in which the voice of the peoples can be heard,' the pontiff sentenced, who entrusted his plea to the Virgin Mary to guide the region towards reconciliation and hope.
