By Joshua McElwee

VATICAN CITY, Aug 20 (Reuters) – Pope Leo has asked Catholics and other religious faithful to observe a day of fasting and prayers for peace in the Middle East, Ukraine and other war-torn areas of the world on Friday, August 22.

“As our Earth continues to be wounded by wars in the Holy Land, in Ukraine, and in many other regions … I invite all the faithful to live the day of August 22 in fasting and prayer,” the pontiff said during his weekly audience at the Vatican on Wednesday.

Leo suggested the faithful could ask God to “grant us peace and justice and to wipe away the tears of those who suffer because of the ongoing armed conflicts.”

Pope Leo XIV gestures on the day of a general audience in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, August 20, 2025. REUTERS/Ciro De Luca Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab

Leo, the first U.S. pope, was elected by the world’s Catholic cardinals on May 8 to replace the late Pope Francis.

He has made several appeals to end the war in Ukraine during the first months of his papacy, and his first known phone call with a foreign leader in May was to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who the pope also met in person in July.

Catholics have a practise of fasting on or before important spiritual holidays as a way of coming closer to God in prayer.

Francis had previously called a special day of fasting and prayer last October, on the one-year anniversary of the Israel-Hamas war.

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