ROME (AP) — In his strongest words yet, Pope Leo XIV on Saturday denounced the “delusion of omnipotence” that is fueling the U.S.-Israel war in Iran and demanded political leaders stop and negotiate peace.
Leo presided over an evening prayer service in St. Peter’s Basilica on the same day the United States and Iran began face-to-face negotiations in Pakistan and as a fragile ceasefire held.
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Pope Leo XIV holds a rosary as he leads a vigil for peace inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
A woman holds a rosary as she attends a vigil for peace lead by Pope Leo XIV inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Leo XIV leads a vigil for peace inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Leo XIV leads a vigil for peace inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Leo XIV holds a rosary as he leads a vigil for peace inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
History’s first U.S.-born pope didn’t mention the United States or President Donald Trump in his prayer, which was planned before the talks were announced. But Leo’s tone and message appeared directed at Trump and U.S. officials, who have boasted of U.S. military superiority and justified the war in religious terms.
“Enough of the idolatry of self and money!” Leo said. “Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!”
In the basilica pews was the archbishop of Tehran, Belgian Cardinal Dominique Joseph Mathieu. The U.S. was represented in the diplomatic corps by its deputy chief of mission, Laura Hochla, the U.S. Embassy said.
In the first weeks of the war, the Chicago-born Leo was initially reluctant to publicly condemn the violence and limited his comments to muted appeals for peace and dialogue. But Leo stepped up his criticism starting on Palm Sunday. And this week, he said Trump’s threat to annihilate Iranian civilization was “truly unacceptable” and called for dialogue to prevail.
On Saturday, Leo called for all people of good will to pray for peace and demand an end to war from their political leaders. The evening vigil in Rome, which featured Scripture readings and meditative recitation of the Rosary prayers, was taking place as simultaneous local prayer services were being held in the U.S. and beyond.
Praying for peace, Leo said, was a way to “break the demonic cycle of evil” to build instead the Kingdom of God where there are no swords, drones or “unjust profit.”
“It is here that we find a bulwark against that delusion of omnipotence that surrounds us and is becoming increasingly unpredictable and aggressive,” he said. “Even the holy Name of God, the God of life, is being dragged into discourses of death.”
Leaders have used religion to justify their actions in the war. U.S. officials and especially Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have invoked their Christian faith to cast the U.S. as a Christian nation trying to vanquish its foes.
Leo has said God doesn’t bless any war, and certainly not those who drop bombs.
Leo presided over the service sitting off to the side of the altar on a white throne, wearing his formal red cape and liturgical stole and praying with a Rosary in his hands. Many of the priests and nuns in the pews fingered Rosary beads as the “Our Father” and “Hail Mary” prayers were recited.
The Vatican is particularly concerned about the spillover of Israel’s war against Hezbollah in Lebanon, given the plight of Christian communities in the south.
Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Pope Leo XIV holds a rosary as he leads a vigil for peace inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
A woman holds a rosary as she attends a vigil for peace lead by Pope Leo XIV inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Leo XIV leads a vigil for peace inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Leo XIV leads a vigil for peace inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Leo XIV holds a rosary as he leads a vigil for peace inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Arsenal's Premier League title bid was hit by a stunning 2-1 loss to Bournemouth at Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
The league leader blew the chance to move 12 points clear of second-placed Manchester City after losing for the third time in four games in all competitions.
“It's a big punch to the face,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said. “Now it’s about how we react to that, because it’s game on, it’s going to require now a big spirit, a lot of fight.”
Liverpool got a glimpse of the future as 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha scored a brilliant solo goal in a 2-0 win against Fulham.
The forward curled in the opening goal at Anfield. Mohamed Salah added the second in his first game in front his home fans since announcing he was leaving Liverpool at the end of the season.
Alex Scott struck a 74th-minute winner to pile pressure on Arsenal ahead of next week's top-of-the-table clash at Manchester City.
Arsenal has played two more games than City, which travels to Chelsea on Sunday and could close the gap to six points.
“There are no gray areas now,” Arteta said.
Arsenal has not won the title since 2004 and is slumping at the worst time. Defeats to City in the English League Cup final and to second-division Southampton in the FA Cup ended its pursuit of a quadruple of trophies.
It beat Sporting Lisbon 1-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday but the latest loss will only heighten tension in the race for the English title after three straight years of finishing runner-up.
“The fact that as a club we haven’t done it for so long, there's a reason for that, it talks about the difficulty,” Arteta said.
Arsenal faces a huge week against Sporting in the second leg of their Champions League quarterfinal on Wednesday and then at City on Sunday.
Bournemouth went ahead inside 17 minutes through Junior Kroupi’s close-range goal. Viktor Gyokeres leveled from the penalty spot in the 35th but Arsenal struggled to create openings and Scott sealed the victory that potentially blew the title race open.
Bournemouth has won in back-to-back seasons at Arsenal and set a new club record of 12 straight games unbeaten in the Premier League.
While Arsenal remains in the driver's seat at the top of the standings, the form guide does not make good reading from Arteta’s perspective.
League stats provider Opta said before kickoff that the Arsenal manager’s Premier League win percentage in April was 44%, compared to 79% for City's Pep Guardiola.
“So today we have to suffer, it’s painful, it’s a terrible feeling, but tomorrow is a different day, and if somebody had said to me in August we are in this position right now in April, I’m sure we would all take it,” Arteta said.
As one great prepares to say goodbye to Liverpool, a new star is emerging.
Salah will bring the curtain down on an outstanding Anfield career at the end of the season — and even in a campaign in which his form has dipped he is still capable of getting fans out of their seats.
He did that with his goal late in the first half to double Liverpool's lead, firing low past Bernd Leno.
But thoughts will naturally turn to the future and, in teenager Ngumoha, Liverpool has a talent to get excited about.
He announced himself early in the season with his dramatic late winner against Newcastle and he produced another special moment with his first Anfield goal.
Liverpool tightened its grip on fifth place and Champions League qualification, moving four points clear of Chelsea in sixth.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall struck in stoppage time as Everton twice fought back from a goal down to draw at Brentford 2-2.
Igor Thiago twice gave Brentford the lead at Gtech Community Stadium from a third-minute penalty and a goal in the 76th.
Beto leveled for Everton in the first half and Dewsbury-Hall produced his dramatic equalizer in the first minute of added time.
Brentford missed the chance to move up to sixth.
Brazil striker Thiago has 24 goals in all competitions this season and 21 in the league. Only Erling Haaland with 22 has more.
Mats Wieffer scored in both halves as Brighton beat Burnley 2-0.
James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson
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Brentford's Igor Thiago celebrates scoring his side's first goal from the penalty spot during the English Premier League match between Brentford and Everton, at the Gtech Community Stadium, London, Saturday April 11, 2026. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)
Bournemouth's Alex Scott scores his side's second goal of the game during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Bournemouth in London, England Saturday, April 11, 2026. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)
Arsenal's Gabriel reacts following defeat in Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Bournemouth in London, England Saturday, April 11, 2026. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)
Arsenal's Declan Rice reacts during the Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Bournemouth in London, England Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres, left, scores their side's first goal of the game from the penalty spot during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Bournemouth, in London, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)
Bournemouth's Evanilson, and Eli Junior Kroupi celebrate after scoring during the Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Bournemouth in London, England Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
Bournemouth's Eli Junior Kroupi scores during the Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Bournemouth in London, England Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta reacts during the Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Bournemouth in London, England Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
