Pope Leo XIV addressed the issue of war violence in his first Palm Sunday homily, specifically in praise of Christians in the Middle East and Ukraine. His remarks were a direct rebuke to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who has used religious fervor to justify military incursions in the past, particularly in relation to the U.S. and Iran. The pope praised Jesus, King of Peace, who rejected war and rejected the use of religion to justify war. He also addressed the plight of non-Christian Christians in Syria and the Middle Eastern. The mass marked the beginning of Holy Week, marking the first time Leo has presided over as pope.