Asian Bishops Demand Immediate Middle East Ceasefire Amid Escalating Tensions

Bishops from across Asia have issued a powerful plea for peace, demanding an immediate halt to hostilities in the Middle East as violence spirals with recent US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran on February 28, followed by Iranian counterstrikes on neighboring Arab states. The Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) Central Committee, meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, released the statement on March 3, signed by President Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrao, Vice President Cardinal Pablo David, and Secretary General Cardinal Isao Kikuchi.

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Escalation Context

The bishops voiced “deep anguish and grave concern” over cycles of bombardment involving major powers, which they say threaten “incalculable human and economic consequences” worldwide, with Asia particularly vulnerable due to its religious diversity and poverty challenges. Echoing Pope Leo XIV’s March 1 appeal, they stressed that “peace cannot be built on threats or weapons that sow destruction, pain, and death,” insisting only “sincere, responsible, and sustained dialogue” can foster justice and stability.

Core Appeals

• Immediate cessation of hostilities to halt the “spiral of escalation” devastating the poor, displaced, children, and future generations.
• Revival of diplomacy as the key to respecting human dignity and national sovereignty.
• Interreligious solidarity among regional faith leaders to affirm life’s sacredness.​

The FABC recommitted to supporting war victims often ignored in geopolitical games and urged Asian churches during Lent to ramp up prayer, fasting, and aid for peace, invoking Mary, Queen of Peace. This comes amid global echoes, including US Catholic bishops’ similar calls, underscoring the crisis’s broad stakes as of March 2026.