40 years after Chernobyl, Pope urges peaceful use of nuclear energy

Pope Leo XIV marked the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster with an appeal for atomic energy only to be used for peaceful purposes.

The deadly explosion at the Soviet-era plant "marked the conscience of humanity" and "remains a warning of the risks inherent in the use of increasingly powerful technologies," the pontiff stated at the end of a prayer service at the Vatican. "All levels of decision-making, discernment and responsibility will always prevail, so that every use of atomic energy may be at the service of life and peace," he added.