Pope appeals for end to antisemitism, prejudice, genocide January 28, 2026By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, Vatican, World News VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Leo XIV called for an end to all antisemitism, prejudice, oppression and persecution worldwide. “I renew my appeal to the community of nations always to remain vigilant so that the horror of genocide never again befall any people and that a society based on mutual respect and the common good be built,” he said Jan. 28. The pope made his remarks during his greeting to Italian-speaking visitors after leading his general audience talk in the Paul VI Audience Hall. The pope recalled the previous day’s commemoration of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which is marked Jan. 27 each year, the anniversary of the day in 1945 when Soviet troops liberated the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp complex. The camp was the largest of the Nazi work and death camps; an estimated 1.1 million of the more than 6 million victims of the Holocaust died there. “On this annual occasion of painful remembrance, I ask Almighty God for the gift of a world without any more antisemitism, prejudice, oppression or persecution of any human being,” Pope Leo said. The pope also commemorated Holocaust Remembrance Day with a post on X Jan. 27, recalling “that the Church remains faithful to the unwavering position of the Declaration #NostraAetate against every form of antisemitism. The Church rejects any discrimination or harassment based on ethnicity, language, nationality or religion.” Later the same day, the pope underlined the importance of praying for peace when speaking to reporters as he was leaving the papal villa in Castel Gandolfo outside of Rome. When asked about the situation in the Middle East, specifically the arrival of the U.S. aircraft carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln, which is equipped with guided-missile destroyers, Pope Leo said, “I will just say that we must pray very much for peace.” Though regular, everyday people may seem “small” or insignificant, he said, “we can raise our voices and always seek dialogue rather than violence to resolve problems, especially on this day when we commemorate the Shoah.” “Let us fight against all forms of antisemitism,” he said. Read More Vatican News Belarusian Catholic dissident returns home, urges prayers for imprisoned following papal audience Peruvian city to unveil world’s tallest statue of Pope Leo for trip to South America Pope Leo XIV asks Our Lady of Good Counsel for aid to make ‘courageous and wise decisions’ Pope Leo expresses hope Ukraine, Russia negotiations bear fruit Pope Leo XIV says Christians in the Middle East offer a ‘precious testimony for the entire Church’ Catholics cannot be ‘unengaged spectators’ amid current events, pope says Copyright © 2026 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Print
