Iran's Only Catholic Cardinal Mathieu Pleads for Peace "Never again war" at Prayer Vigil for Peace in Rome

Tehran’s Archbishop Calls for an End to the Gulf War and the Logic of Retaliation

The urgent necessity of peace in a world fractured by global conflict was the central theme this Monday evening of Holy Week at the Basilica of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme in Rome. During a prayer vigil led by Cardinal Vicar Baldo Reina, Cardinal Dominique Mathieu—the Latin Archbishop of Tehran-Ispahan—delivered a poignant message. He characterized war as "an adventure with no return" and a "spiral of grief and violence," emphasizing that the world requires "new solutions" and "spaces for dialogue."

"Never again war, an adventure without return; never again war, a spiral of death and violence": this was the impassioned plea from Cardinal Mathieu during the service. Quoting a prayer originally delivered by Saint John Paul II in 1991, the Archbishop invoked divine intervention to end the Gulf War, which had compelled his departure from Tehran on March 8. He prayed to "Stop the logic of retaliation and revenge, suggest with your Spirit new solutions, generous and honorable gestures, spaces for dialogue and patient waiting that are more fruitful than the hasty deadlines of war."

The Wounds of the Holy Land and Forgotten Wars

The vigil was part of the "Mission of Peace – Journey in the Spirit" series, organized by the Diocese of Rome in partnership with groups like Pax Christi and the Community of Sant'Egidio. While focusing heavily on the Middle East, the assembly also prayed for "forgotten" crises in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

There was a somber acknowledgment of the current state of the Holy Land. While Israeli authorities permitted Holy Week ceremonies under strict security, the atmosphere remained tense following reports that the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem and the Custos of the Holy Land had previously been denied access to the Holy Sepulchre.

The Crucifixion of the Innocent

Reflecting on the setting of the vigil, which houses relics of the True Cross, Cardinal Reina noted the tragic parallels between scripture and modern headlines.

"We are close to the Iranian people and all those who are suffering at this time," Reina told reporters. "This church preserves one of the most important relics of the cross of Christ. History repeats itself, and so many innocent people are crucified. The Pope invites all Christians to pray for peace. This is a dramatic moment for all humanity."

History’s Unlearned Lesson

During his meditation, Cardinal Reina lamented the cyclical nature of human conflict, asking, "Violence only breeds more violence," but "how can man not have learned this fundamental lesson of history?"

He warned that modern society is drifting "toward the absurd" and "toward a rearmament that has the taste of death." Welcoming the Archbishop of Tehran, Reina noted that Christ remains present among those scarred by war. "He who came to bring peace is in the midst, almost as if to speak of a God who is intertwined with our history, with our suffering." Ultimately, Reina concluded that true peace is not merely "a diplomatic choice or strategy, but is Christ."

Source - Vatican News