Pope urges Europe to draw from Christian roots to confront thirst for domination driving wars

METZ, France (AP) — Pope Leo XIV urged Europe on Monday to draw from its Christian roots and traditions of dialogue to blunt the “desire for domination” driving today's wars, as he wrapped up a visit to France by recalling the forces that contributed to Europe’s post-World War II peaceful integration.

Leo traveled to the eastern city of Metz, near the border with Luxembourg and Germany, to honor Robert Schuman, a French Catholic statesman regarded as one of the founding fathers of European unity.

Leo decided to end his four-day visit to France in Metz, at a conference center named for Schuman, to drive home his appeal. He wants Europe to draw from its Christian foundations and traditions to respond Russia’s war in Ukraine and other conflicts.

He said international law and multilateralism "constitute the best antidote to the desire for domination, which lies at the root of every conflict. Today, relations between individuals and States are becoming increasingly uncivilized.”

Élysée Palace had invited all European Union heads of state and the heads of European institutions to attend the conference, but only a handful joined President Emmanuel Macron, from smaller states such as Monaco, Andorra and Luxembourg.

Leo’s visit to the once staunchly Catholic and officially secular France has been marked by his appeal for Europe to remember its Christian heritage and apply it to today’s ethical and geopolitical challenges.

On Sunday at the Catholic shrine in Lourdes, he condemned legislation — recently approved in France — permitting medically assisted dying as “false compassion.” Huge crowds have met him at nearly every turn — 800,000 were at Leo’s Mass on Paris’ iconic Place de la Concorde — surprising even organizers.

On Monday morning, Leo's Air France charter received a military escort of two French fighter jets for the flight from Lourdes to Metz.

Later Monday in his final event in France, Leo was to celebrate Mass in the cathedral of St. Stephen in Metz. The cathedral is one of the greatest examples of French Gothic style, with its soaring vaults and stained-glass windows, some of which were designed by the 20th century Jewish artist Marc Chagall.

The colored glass has given the cathedral the nickname the “Lanterne du Bon Dieu,” or “The Good Lord’s Lantern.”

Schuman is best known for the Schuman Declaration of 1950, five years after the war ended. It proposed the creation of a European Coal and Steel Community to pool production between historic rivals France and Germany.

The idea, as Europe was emerging from the ruins of World War II, was guided by the belief that intertwined economic interests would make another war between them “not merely unthinkable, but materially impossible.”

The coal and steel organization was the first among European institutions that were precursors to what eventually became the European Union.

A resistance fighter imprisoned by the Nazis, Schuman was declared “venerable” in 2021, a step in the Catholic Church's process toward possible sainthood.

In a separate meeting Monday, Leo urged French religious leaders to preach messages of peace and unity. He cited Schuman’s example of promoting dialogue even among rivals in saying faith leaders had a shared responsibility to forge friendships across borders in the name of peace.

“Indeed, to invoke God’s name in order to justify violence or oppression is to profane that name,” he said. “Religious discourse must constantly call for the disarmament of hearts and words.”

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.

French President Emmanuel Macron looks on as Pope Leo XIV speaks at the meeting "At the Roots of Europe for Peace and Unity", in Metz, France, Monday, Sept. 28, 2026. (Benoit Tessier/Pool Photo via AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron and Pope Leo XIV attend the meeting "At the Roots of Europe for Peace and Unity", in Metz, France, Monday, Sept. 28, 2026. (Benoit Tessier/Pool Photo via AP)

Pope Leo XIV speaks at the meeting "At the Roots of Europe for Peace and Unity", in Metz, France, Monday, Sept. 28, 2026. (Benoit Tessier/Pool Photo via AP)

Pope Leo XIV holds a candle during a prayer of Holy Rosary and torchlight procession at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, France, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Pope Leo XIV, center, holds a candle during a prayer of Holy Rosary and torchlight procession at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, France, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. ((AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)

A French Air Force Dassault Rafale C fighter jet is seen through a window of the aircraft carrying Pope Leo XIV from Lourdes to Metz on the last day of his four-day visit to France, Monday, Sept. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, Pool)

Pope Leo XIV, center, arrives, with, from left, Christian Krieger, president of the Protestant Federation of France (partially covered, Bishop Dimitrios (Ploumis), the Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of France, Haïm Korsia, Chief Rabbi of France, President of the French Bishops' Conference, Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, Chems-eddine Hafiz, rector of the Grand Mosque of Paris, Anthony Boussemart, representing French Buddhists, and Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, to attend an interreligious meeting at the Robert Schuman Convention Centre, Monday, Sept. 28, 2026, in Metz, France. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Pope Leo XIV, center, arrives, with, from left, Christian Krieger, president of the Protestant Federation of France, Bishop Dimitrios (Ploumis), the Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of France, Haïm Korsia, Chief Rabbi of France, President of the French Bishops' Conference, Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, Chems-eddine Hafiz, rector of the Grand Mosque of Paris, Anthony Boussemart, representing French Buddhists, and Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, to attend an interreligious meeting at the Robert Schuman Convention Centre, Monday, Sept. 28, 2026, in Metz, France. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) ADDITION: Add names of persons in the photo

PUERTO SAN CARLOS, Mexico (AP) — Hurricane Polo bore down on Mexico's Baja California peninsula on Monday with a threat of storm surge, high winds and heavy rains, while Hurricane Nolo threatened parts of Hawaii with torrential rain even as the storm edged further away from the state's islands.

Polo was a Category 3 storm with top sustained winds of 125 mph (205 kph) Sunday evening, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said. The storm is expected to lash the peninsula with heavy rainfall overnight and could produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides.

Nolo was well southwest of Hawaii and moving away from the Big Island as the weekend drew to a close, but a high-wind warning, wind advisory and high surf advisory remained in effect for parts of the island through Sunday evening. Nolo’s maximum sustained winds increased to near 105 mph (165 kph).

In Puerto San Carlos, a fishing town of about 5,700 people on Mexico’s Baja California peninsula, residents boarded up homes Sunday as workers hauled dirt and rubble to shore up the embankments protecting the town. Authorities said 90% of the community was susceptible to flooding.

Residents feared high tides and pounding waves could breach the barriers and send seawater through the community. Some families planned to evacuate to shelters in Ciudad Constitucion, about 37 miles (60 kilometers) away.

“Civil Protection told those of us here in San Carlos to evacuate because this is a high-risk area. With the current tides, the expected waves and the wind, the earthen barriers they built (to prevent flooding) could give way. They said they wouldn’t hold,” Rocío Sánchez, a fisherman, said.

Forecasters said Polo would hit the Mexican mainland after crossing Baja California and could bring heavy rain and flooding to parts of the U.S. Southwest later in the week. Polo was moving to the north at 12 mph (19 kph) about 270 miles (435 kilometers) west of Cabo San Lucas at the peninsula’s southern tip, the hurricane center said.

The Pacific has been unusually active, according to National Weather Service lead forecaster Bob Oravec, with storm activity running above average during what is already the peak of hurricane season. He said that pattern is consistent with El Niño years, when the Pacific often sees more tropical storms and hurricanes.

With Polo approaching Mexico, the Mexican navy said it has gathered personnel and humanitarian aid in the ports of Guaymas and Mazatlan, on the country's Pacific Coast, and deployed three vessels that could ship aid to coastal communities isolated by the storm.

One of the towns in the hurricane's projected path is San Juanico, a small fishing community on Baja’s Pacific coast. The town has only had full-time electricity for a few years, and still experiences frequent outages. There is concern that washed-out roads could block access to medical facilities.

“Our people are concerned about this event,” said Gloriely Robles Meza, a manager at a small hotel. “We haven’t faced such a worrying situation in many years.”

Robles Meza said Sunday that army soldiers arrived in San Juanico to prepare a shelter and provide support for possible emergencies.

Also Sunday, Tropical Storm Rachel formed well off Mexico's southwest coast. The hurricane center said Rachel had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph) and was located about 300 miles (485 kilometers) south of Acapulco. No coastal watches or warnings were in effect.

Forecasters said Nolo’s outer bands could cause life-threatening flooding and mudslides, with parts of the Big Island possibly getting up to 20 inches (50 centimeters) of rain. Heavy rain also was expected on the other islands.

More than 120 National Guard members were activated, part of roughly 400 statewide after the governor issued an emergency proclamation. President Donald Trump recently approved an emergency declaration, authorizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate assistance and provide funding support.

Hawaii residents are still recovering from Hurricane Lala, which produced heavy rain and winds strong enough to sweep about 100 homes off their foundations on the Big Island.

Video journalist Eugene Garcia and photographer Gregory Bull contributed from Hilo, Hawaii.

A man boards up a house's windows as Hurricane Polo approaches in Puerto San Carlos, Baja California Sur state, Mexico, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

Workers build a barricade to help keep water out of their town as Hurricane Polo approaches in Puerto San Carlos, Baja California Sur state, Mexico, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

Peggy McKibbin looks at where floodwaters from nearby Hurricane Nolo run past widespread damage from last month's Hurricane Lala Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Naalehu, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Fire Captain Lui Sales of the Hawaii Fire Department looks for residents to help as rainwater from nearby Hurricane Nolo flood a section of Mamalahoa highway Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, near Naalehu, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

A man rides with his son near where a home was destroyed during last month's Hurricane Lala, as floodwaters from Hurricane Nolo recedes Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Naalehu, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)