Pope Leo XIV concluded a four-day pastoral visit to France with an interreligious address in Metz, urging faith communities to reject violence and protect human life.

Speaking at the Robert Schuman Conference Center, the pontiff met with representatives of various religions. He structured his remarks around three themes: the necessity of dialogue, the rejection of religiously motivated violence, and the role of faith traditions in safeguarding life.

The Pope invoked Venerable Robert Schuman, a founding father of the European Union, as an example of Christian commitment to peace. He emphasized that true religious discourse must promote the “disarmament of hearts and words.”

“Nothing that disfigures human dignity can claim to be inspired by God,” Pope Leo XIV said.

The address directly addressed France’s recently enacted law on “aid in dying,” which permits assisted suicide and euthanasia under specific conditions. The pontiff described religions as “guardians of life” that affirm its sacred value. He argued that violence or oppression committed in God’s name constitutes a profanation.

The day before the Metz meeting, Pope Leo XIV spoke in Lourdes, rejecting what he called the temptation to cause death under the guise of false compassion. In his Metz address, he cited the Vatican II declaration Nostra Aetate regarding interreligious dialogue and referenced his own encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas.

“To serve life means to surround it with care, presence, and tenderness,” he stated.