Pope urges peace through prayer vigil as war in Iran pushes forward

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) – The Pope calling for peace as the war in Iran pushes forward.

Pope Leo the 14th is urging the world to turn to prayer as violence continues in the war against Iran. He’s announced that he’s holding a Prayer Vigil for Peace on Saturday, April 11, 2026, and many Dioceses around the world are taking part, including those in Cape Girardeau. 

Southeast Missouri State University Assistant History Professor Francesco Lacopo shares that history teachers and specialists are seeing history unfold through current political standings and the catholic church.  

“Kind of an inflammatory report now coming out that, during the course of a meeting, a pentagon official, invoked the Avignon Papacy, which is sort of an obscure historical event or series of events that happened in the 1300s, in the 14th century, where effectively the French King, coerced the popes to come live in France” shares Lacopo.

Invoking Avignon Papacy in today’s terms means could mean a divide in government and the catholic church, meaning a possible politically influenced decision or a divide. As Lacopo states as more and more reports come out it’s unclear what is actually true, but what is clear is the stance Pope Leo has on the current war against Iran. Recently publicly stating “We should search always for peace and not violence and to reject war, especially a war that is unjust.” Resulting in his invitation for a prayer vigil of peace on April 11, 2026, at 12:10 pm that will be live streamed. 

Lacopo shares that the Pope’s role holds power now and throughout history.

“The papacy not only can exert soft power, as they have in the more recent past, but they can actually exert hard power, historically” says Lacopo. “So, it’s actually not something that’s terribly out of the ordinary when you look at the broad history of the papacy, which, of course, is very, very long, it’s really like a 2000-year history, by most measures. So, it’s something that’s happened frequently when you think about that kind of time scale.” 

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