Pope Leo XIV at St Peter's Square, Vatican. (©Reuters via Kyodo)
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On August 6, Pope Leo XIV criticized nuclear deterrence as an "illusionary security" during a general audience at the Vatican, marking the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. He had also released a message opposing nuclear weapons on August 5.
However, he refrained from directly criticizing nuclear-armed states, highlighting a contrast in tone with his predecessor, Pope Francis.
During the general audience, Pope Leo XIV stated that the tragedy Hiroshima experienced serves as "a warning against the devastation caused [...] by nuclear weapons."
A Call for Dialogue
The Pope called for moving beyond deterrence based on the threat of mutual destruction and urged progress through dialogue and confidence-building.
The August 5 message was sent to a peace gathering held in Hiroshima. In it, he quoted the words of the former pope: "War is always a defeat for humanity." He emphasized the need for the courage to lay down arms for the sake of peace.
During his 2019 visit to Hiroshima, Pope Francis described the possession or deployment of atomic weapons as immoral. In 2022, during a meeting with then-Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the Vatican, he also remarked that "use and possession of nuclear weapons is inconceivable," repeatedly criticizing nuclear-armed nations.
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Author: Mina Mitsui, The Sankei Shimbun
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