Pope Leo XIV used his first Easter Mass as leader of the Roman Catholic Church to call on global leaders to abandon war and pursue peace, addressing thousands gathered in St Peter’s Square on Sunday.
Get today's headlines by email 
Standing on the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica, the pope delivered his traditional “Urbi et Orbi” blessing — Latin for “to the city and the world” — before a large crowd of worshippers.
First Easter address as pontiff
“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 said.
He also appealed directly to political leaders, saying: “Let those who have weapons lay them down. Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace.”
Appeals amid global conflicts
The address marked the first Easter message by the US-born pontiff since his election earlier this year. In recent weeks he has spoken frequently about armed conflicts around the world, warning that societies risk becoming indifferent to violence.
“We are growing accustomed to violence, resigning ourselves to it, and becoming indifferent to the deaths of thousands of people,” the pope said.
Although he referred broadly to a world “ravaged by wars,” Leo did not name specific countries or conflicts in his remarks, breaking with the approach sometimes taken by previous papal Easter messages.
In recent public comments, however, the pontiff has criticised the war involving Iran and urged international leaders to pursue de-escalation.
Earlier in the week he made a direct appeal to Donald Trump, calling on the American president to find an “off-ramp” to end the conflict.
Tribute to predecessor
During the address, Leo also paid tribute to his predecessor, Pope Francis, who delivered his final Easter message last year only hours before his death.
Reflecting on the Christian story of the resurrection, the pope said Jesus had responded to suffering with complete nonviolence.
For Christians, Easter marks the resurrection of Christ three days after the crucifixion and is regarded as the most important date in the liturgical calendar.
Easter celebrations at the Vatican
Thousands filled St Peter's Square for the ceremony, which was decorated with seasonal flowers arranged around the square and the basilica.
Rows of daffodils and thousands of purple, red and white blooms formed the backdrop for the celebrations as the pontiff greeted worshippers gathered below the balcony.
Church bells rang across the Vatican as Leo concluded the ceremony, offering Easter greetings in several languages including Latin, Arabic and Chinese.
The pope also announced that he would return to the basilica on 11 April to lead a prayer vigil dedicated to peace.
During Saturday night’s Easter Vigil service, Leo had already urged Christians not to become numb to the scale of global conflicts and instead to work for reconciliation.
His Easter message reinforced that appeal, urging political leaders and the faithful alike to reject violence and seek peace.
Join the discussion? 
Already a member? 
Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 6 April 2026
Recommended Comments
Create an account or sign in to comment