"Lay down your weapons," Chicago's Cardinal Cupich says in Palm Sunday homily
During his Palm Sunday homily at Chicago's Holy Name Cathedral, Blase Cardinal Cupich echoed an antiwar message delivered by Pope Leo XIV in St. Peter's Square.
Cupich told parishioners, "Lay down your weapons and remember you are brother and sister.'
Meanwhile, Pope Leo XIV said God "doesn't listen to the prayers of those who make war." He spoke of Jesus as the "King of Peace," and blasted those who cite God to justify violence.
Pope Leo also offered special blessings for Christians in the Middle East spending holy days in the middle of the conflict.
The timing of the words added poignancy to the messages. Palm Sunday marks the start of Holy Week, the most sacred week in the Christian calendar.
The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe also marked Palm Sunday with a full schedule of masses and a procession of palms Sunday morning. Services were held in English and Spanish.
The shrine said Holy Week draws some of its largest crowds of the year.