In 1947, as civil war raged over the partitioning of Hindu India and Muslim East and West Pakistan, Mahatma Gandhi, a devout Hindu, went to Calcutta to stay with friends. He stayed with Muslim friends in a quarter of the city that was especially bloodied by the rioting and slaughter of innocents. While there, Gandi held prayer services attended by Hindus, Muslims, and Christians. He fasted and offered his readiness to die rather than to witness the madness of brotherly annihilation and hatred. Historians have called Gandhi’s time in Calcutta one of his greatest demonstration of satyagraha, non-violence (Dalton, 1993).
Gandhi’s presence and interfaith prayers quelled the violence. Rioters refrained from vandalizing terrorizing and killing, and newspapers marveled at the miraculous peace that found its way to Calcutta. Less than six months later, Gandi was shot to death by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu nationalist who resented the partitioning of India and blamed Gandhi for inciting Muslim violence against Hindus by appeasing them.
Imagine what might have happened if Pope Leo had gone to Gaza in 2025 and lived in a tent surrounded by refugees. Imagine him staying with Palestinians some of whom may have sympathized with Hamas. Imagine him visiting neighborhoods reduced to rubble. Imagine him praying over the graves, blessing those who lost their loved ones, and comforting children maimed by fire and shrapnel. Imagining him fasting and finding scraps of food to give to the starving. Imagine that he remained in Gaza for weeks and appealed from his terrible lodgings to other world leaders to join him and bring food, medicine, clothing, blankets, and water. Imagine him appealing to Bejamin Netanyahu, like Gandhi appealed to the Muslim nationalist Mohhamed Jinnah, to end the hostilities and to work with one’s adversaries as brothers. Imagine him meeting with journalists to confirm that the Palestinians were indeed victims of genocide (United Nations, 2025).
Imagine Leo refusing the council of his Cardinals to leave Gaza and his resolve to stay until Israel until the peacemakers of the Middle East and United Nations vowed to create the state of Palestine, return Palestinian land occupied by Israel to Palestinians, and promise to honor the autonomy and security of Palestine.
Popes have a prophetic voice in the world that others do not have. When they are silent or appear to offer only a modest appeal for peace and justice, the absence of a full-throated commitment to solidarity with the Davids of the world who suffer the abuse of the Goliaths of the world is amplified.
There may be some who say, “Leo would not matter in Gaza because he was no Mahatma Gandhi.” Perhaps.
Imagine if Leo went to Gaza.
References
Dalton Dennis. Mahatma Gandhi: Non-Violent Power in Action. New York: Columbia University Press, 1993. Pp. 139-167.
United Nations. “Israel Has Committed Genocide in the Gaza Strip, UN Commission Finds.” Office of the High Commissioner, September 16, 2025. Israel has committed genocide in the Gaza Strip, UN Commission finds | OHCHR
