Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday made a plea for an end to antisemitism worldwide, marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day with a prayer for a world free of prejudice, oppression and racism.
Speaking during his weekly general audience at the Vatican, the pope said he was asking God “for the gift of a world with no more antisemitism and no more prejudice, oppression or persecution of any human being.”
Leo appealed to global leaders to remain vigilant against mass violence, urging them to ensure “that the horror of genocide may never again fall upon any people.”
He added, “The Church rejects any discrimination or harassment based on ethnicity, language, nationality or religion.”
According to a Vatican statement, the pope said, “Let us fight against all forms of antisemitism.”
Holocaust Remembrance Day, observed annually on Jan. 27, was established by the United Nations to commemorate the six million Jews murdered during World War II.
Leo, who became pope last May, has repeatedly spoken out against antisemitism since assuming leadership of the 1.4-billion-member Catholic Church. His remarks echoed those of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who also condemned antisemitism on multiple occasions during his papacy.
Relations between the Catholic Church and the Jewish people have improved significantly in recent decades, following centuries of hostility and theological antagonism.
