Pope Leo XIV said people should “resolve conflicts as human beings and not as beasts” as he hosted a gathering of cardinals from around the world in the Vatican, AFP reports.

The closed-door assembly — known as a “consistory” —ends on Saturday and is intended to discuss a variety of global challenges facing the Catholic Church.

It started with a mass in St Peter’s Basilica presided by US-born Pope Leo, whose anti-war message has been harshly criticised by US President Donald Trump.

“International tensions and conflicts seriously wound the human family,” the pope said in his homily.

“War is never worthy of humanity, and it is never blessed by God,” he said.