‘Priests against genocide’: clergy march from Vatican to arms giant Leonardo
September 24, 2026
Around 100 Catholic priests marched through Rome Tuesday, demanding action against the Gaza genocide and challenging the international arms industry.
The Palestine Chronicle reports on 23 September 2026:
Key Takeaways
- Around 100 priests from eight countries joined a march through Rome organized by the international network “Priests against Genocide.”
- The procession carried a shroud bearing the names of 300 Palestinian and Lebanese children killed after ceasefire announcements and ended outside Italian defense company Leonardo.
- Organizers said the network has expanded to thousands of priests internationally, alongside bishops and cardinals, and is promoting nonviolence, diplomacy and conscientious objection.
From the Vatican to an Arms Company
Around 100 Catholic priests marched through Rome on Tuesday as part of a growing international movement of clergy mobilizing against the genocide in Gaza and the wider militarization of the region.
The priests, representing eight countries and several regions of Italy, gathered first for prayer at the Church of Santo Spirito in Sassia, a short distance from St. Peter’s Square.
They then walked through the streets surrounding the Vatican, stopping for prayers in different languages before eventually reaching Piazza Monte Grappa, where the headquarters of Italian aerospace and defense company Leonardo S.p.A. is located.