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Papal message will highlight war’s environmental consequences
June 03, 2026
Pope Leo XIV’s message for the upcoming World Day of Prayer for Creation (background) will highlight the relation between war and environmental degradation, according to an announcement from the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.
In announcing the unpublished message’s title—“They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks” (Isaiah 2:4)—the dicastery stated that “such degradation constitutes both a serious violation of our duty to care for creation, as well as a long-term threat to the lives of hundreds of millions of people.”
“The now widespread awareness of the impact of war on natural resources has not led to the creation of adequate institutions or to responsible decisions aimed at preventing conflicts and resolving disputes peacefully,” the dicastery continued. “The title—a passage in which Isaiah prophesies the transformation of weapons into agricultural tools—is an explicit invitation to prioritize development and sustainability over violence and destruction.”
The World Day of Prayer for Creation takes place on September 1. Last year, the Vatican released Pope Leo’s message for the day on June 30.
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