In his inaugural Easter Mass as pontiff, Pope Leo XIV delivered a powerful message of peace to a world he described as "ravaged by wars." Standing before thousands in St. Peter's Square, the first U.S.-born pope urged those with the power to unleash conflicts to choose a different path.
"On this day of celebration, let us abandon every desire for conflict, domination and power, and implore the Lord to grant his peace to a world ravaged by wars," he declared from the Vatican's central balcony, framed by white roses.
The pontiff warned against growing indifference to violence, stating, "We are growing accustomed to violence, resigning ourselves to it, and becoming indifferent, indifferent to the deaths of thousands of people." His direct appeal included the words: "Let those who have weapons lay them down. Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace."
In a departure from recent tradition, Pope Leo did not explicitly name any specific countries or conflicts during his "Urbi et Orbi" blessing—Latin for "to the city and the world." Instead, he offered a universal call for reconciliation, referencing Christ's resurrection as a model of nonviolence in the face of suffering.
The Easter address continues the pope's recent pattern of speaking out against global conflicts. Earlier in the week, he made a rare direct appeal to U.S. President Donald Trump, urging him to find an "off-ramp" to de-escalate tensions with Iran. During Saturday night's Easter vigil, he encouraged believers not to become numbed by the scale of global conflicts but to actively work toward peace.
Pope Leo also paid tribute to his predecessor, Pope Francis, who delivered his final Easter address just hours before his death last year. The new pontiff announced he would return to St. Peter's Basilica on April 11 to lead a prayer vigil dedicated to peace, extending Easter greetings in multiple languages including Latin, Arabic, and Chinese as bells rang across the Vatican.