As the Iranian conflict entered its second month, Pope Leo delivered a forceful denunciation of war in his Palm Sunday speech, stating that God rejects the prayers of leaders whose “hands are full of blood.”

The pope declared that Jesus could not be used as an excuse for violence in front of tens of thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square.

“This is our God: Jesus, King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war,” Pope Leo told the crowd gathered in bright sunshine for the start of Holy Week. He added that God “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war but rejects them, saying, ‘Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: Your hands are full of blood’.”

Although the Pope did not name any leader directly, the remarks came amid escalating criticism from the Vatican over the Iran war. In recent weeks, he has repeatedly called for an immediate ceasefire and denounced military air strikes as indiscriminate.

In his latest appeal, Pope Leo returned to the example of Jesus in the final hours before his arrest and crucifixion, saying force was never part of his message. “(Jesus) did not arm himself, or defend himself, or fight any war,” he said. “He revealed the gentle face of God, who always rejects violence. Rather than saving himself, he allowed himself to be nailed to the cross.”

The unusually direct comments underscored the Vatican’s growing alarm over the conflict, as some political figures have increasingly used religious language in defence of military action.