Vatican office expresses ‘deep concern’ over stoppage at Straits of Hormuz

A Vatican-supported office helping people in the shipping industry has expressed its “deep concern” about the current military operations and heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and their direct impact on seafarers.

The strait between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman is a major choking point for the oil and gas industries.

On a typical day, ships carrying about a fifth of the world’s oil sail out of the Gulf through the narrow passageway. But the United States and Israel’s war with Iran means it is effectively closed, hemming in more than 90 percent of that crude and refined products, according to the International Energy Agency.

The Islamic Republic has vowed to block the region’s oil exports, saying it would not allow “even a single liter” to be shipped to its enemies.

“The men and women navigating these waters are civilian mariners,” said Spanish Bishop Luis Quinteiro Fiuza, the President ad interim of the Apostleship of the Sea, a Vatican-affiliated office.

“Through their daily work, they serve the common good, sustaining families and supporting the life of nations. Yet they now face fear, uncertainty, and real danger,” he said.

On March 1, Pope Leo XIV, expressing his “deep concern” over the escalating violence, appealed to the world, stating: “Stability and peace are not built with mutual threats, nor with weapons which sow destruction, pain, and death, but only through a reasonable, authentic, and responsible dialogue.”

The Strait of Hormuz  has been important for trade all throughout history, with ceramics, ivory, silk and textiles moving from China through the region. In the modern era, it is the route for supertankers carrying oil and gas from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, the UAE and Iran.

The vast majority of it goes to markets in Asia, including to Iran’s only remaining oil customer, China.

While there are pipelines in Saudi Arabia and the UAE that can avoid the passage, the U.S. Energy Information Administration says “most volumes that transit the strait have no alternative means of exiting the region.”

Threats to the route have caused global energy prices to spike in the past, including during the Israel-Iran war in June.

Quinteiro Fiuza called on Christians to pray that Pope Leo’s “heartfelt appeal for peace” may be received with open hearts, “so that reconciliation and harmony may take root among nations, and that seafarers, together with all who are deeply affected, may navigate the seas in safety and peace.”

“We invite the entire Apostleship of the Sea Family: Bishops, chaplains, volunteers, and faithful worldwide to pray in a particular way for those transiting high-risk areas, for their safety and protection from harm, and for comfort for their families who wait at home with concern,” the Spanish bishop said.

This article included passages from the Associated Press.