Vatican's Cardinal Parolin Tells World Leaders "Our peoples are asking for peace! This appeal should shake those who lead nations"
Cardinal Parolin: "The Law of Force" Risks Global Conflagration
In a recent interview with Vatican News, Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin expressed grave concern over the escalating conflict in the Middle East. He warned that the erosion of international law and the rise of a "power-based multipolarism" are pushing the world toward an irreparable abyss. “This erosion of international law is truly worrying: justice has given way to force; the force of law has been replaced by the law of force.”
When asked how he experiences these events Parolin replied, "With great sorrow, because the peoples of the Middle East—including the already fragile Christian communities—have once again been plunged into the horror of war, which brutally shatters human lives, brings destruction, and drags entire nations into spirals of violence with uncertain outcomes."
The Failure of Diplomacy
Cardinal Parolin lamented the shift from a "force of law" to a "law of force." He noted that the multilateral systems established after WWII—specifically the United Nations—were designed to prevent the very horrors currently unfolding.
The Shift: Diplomacy based on dialogue and consensus is being discarded in favor of "diplomacy of force" exercised by individual nations or power blocs.
The Human Cost: Parolin emphasized that regardless of who is "right," war invariably destroys civilian lives, shatters infrastructure (schools, hospitals, places of worship), and leaves deep scars on fragile communities.
The Danger of "Preventive War"
Addressing the justification of attacks as "preventive" measures against weapons production, the Cardinal issued a stern warning:
"If states were to be recognized as having a right to 'preventive war' according to their own criteria... the whole world would risk being set ablaze."
He reiterated that under the UN Charter, force must be a last resort—subject to strict multilateral oversight, proportionality, and rigorous verification. Acting outside this framework invites global anarchy.
Selective Outrage and Value of LifeThere are no first-class and second-class dead, nor people who have more right to live than others simply because they were born on one continent rather than another, or in a particular country. I would like to recall the importance of international humanitarian law, whose observance cannot depend on circumstances or on military and strategic interests.
The Holy See forcefully reiterates its condemnation of every form of involvement of civilians and civilian structures—such as homes, schools, hospitals, and places of worship—in military operations, and asks that the principle of the inviolability of human dignity and the sacredness of life always be protected.
A Crisis of the "Common Good"
The Cardinal diagnosed the current geopolitical decline as a loss of the "common good" mindset.
Self-Referentiality: Nations are increasingly abandoning legal constraints to pursue narrow interests, ignoring the Kantian principle that a violation of rights in one part of the world affects everyone.
Double Standards: Parolin criticized the "selective outrage" of the international community, where some victims are mourned while others are dismissed as "collateral damage." He insisted there are no "first-class or second-class" lives.
The Path Forward: Politics over Arms
Despite the "din of weapons," the Holy See maintains that only the "noble toil of politics"—negotiation, concession, and the balancing of interests—can produce lasting peace.
The Cardinal’s Call to Action:
Ceasefire: An immediate end to military operations.
Multilateralism: A return to strengthened supranational norms and the delegitimization of unilateral force.
Humanitarian Law: Absolute protection for civilians and civilian structures.
Cardinal Parolin concluded with a message of hope, rooted in the Christian rejection of the sword and the growing global chorus of ordinary citizens demanding justice and peace:
"Our peoples are asking for peace! This appeal should shake those who lead nations and all those working in the context of international relations, urging them to multiply their efforts for peace."
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