Polish bishops thank Pope Leo XIV for peace message as tensions grow between Vatican, Trump

Statement of Tadeusz Wojda, president of Poland’s Catholic bishops’ conference, comes as new pope emerges as one of most prominent critics of growing military confrontation involving US, Israel, and Iran

Tadeusz Wojda, president of Poland’s Catholic bishops’ conference, has thanked Pope Leo XIV for his appeals for peace and his criticism of war, invoking Poland’s own experience of conflict and occupation. In an official statement reported by the Polish Press Agency late Wednesday, Wojda said Poles “know well what the tragedy of war is and how much suffering and pain those affected experience,” referring to Leo’s recent speech in Africa, where the pope said he would continue to proclaim the Gospel as “a source of peace and reconciliation among people." Wojda said: "For this reason, the Polish nation extends special thanks to Leo XIV.” The Church in Poland would support the pope through prayer and unity, he added. The statement comes as the new pope has emerged as one of the most prominent critics of the growing military confrontation involving the US, Israel, and Iran. In recent days, Leo has condemned what he called the “delusion of omnipotence” behind war and said that “God does not bless any conflict” and criticized attempts to use religion to justify military action. The pope’s remarks have brought him into direct conflict with Donald Trump, who accused him of being “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy,” while suggesting he was too liberal and should stop criticizing the White House. Leo responded by saying that he had “no fear” of the Trump administration and that his message was simply one of peace. For Poland, where Catholicism remains closely tied to national identity and historical memory, the pope’s language has particular resonance. The country was devastated during WWII and then spent decades under communist rule. Polish political culture often treats war, occupation, and questions of sovereignty as immediate rather than abstract concerns. Polish Catholic leaders have traditionally been wary of military rhetoric framed in religious terms. The memory of the Polish pope, John Paul II, and his opposition to the 2003 invasion of Iraq remains strong. Leo himself recently invoked John Paul II’s anti-war appeals, saying that “No more war” remained as relevant today as it was during the Iraq crisis.