Pope Leo XIV introduced the first Easter blessing with a call for peace on earth
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Pope Leo XIV gave his first Easter blessing as pope on Sunday, calling for peace and urging the world to be indifferent to the deaths of tens of thousands in violent conflicts around the world.
Leo gave the usual Urbi et Orbi blessing from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in the crowd of St. Peter’s Square the Vatican media described as more than 50,000.
Leo said that in a world damaged by wars and torture, people need hope and peace, encouraging against the habit of violence and ignoring the death of tens of thousands.
“On this day of celebration, let us give up all desires to dominate conflicts and power and ask the king to give his peace to a country that has been destroyed by wars and is characterized by hatred and indifference that makes us feel powerless to resist evil,” said the pope.
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Pope Leo XIV gave the blessing of Urbi et Orbi — Latin for “to the city of Rome and to the whole world” — from the center of the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica at the end of the Easter Mass he presided over in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican, Sunday, April 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Leo reminded the faithful that “the power by which Christ rose is not violent at all.”
“In the light of Easter, let’s allow ourselves to be amazed by Christ,” he said. “Let us allow our hearts to be changed by his great love for us. Those who carry weapons should put them down. Those who have the power to end wars should choose peace. It should not be peace imposed by force, but through negotiation. It should not be through the desire to dominate others, but to face them.”
Faithfully waiting for Pope Leo XIV to deliver the usual Urbi et Orbi blessing at the end of the Easter Mass at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican, Sunday, April 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Leo also invoked what he said were Pope Francis’ last words to the world from the same balcony one year ago, when the late pontiff warned of the “increasing global apathy.”
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“Stop thirsting for great death, killing we see every day in many conflicts that break out in different parts of the world,” said Leo, quoting Francis.
Pope Leo XIV addresses the faithful before delivering the Urbi et Orbi blessing from the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica at the end of the Easter Mass he presided over in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican, Sunday, April 5, 2026. ((AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Leo carries the blessing by wishing everyone a happy Easter in ten different languages and singing the song Regina Ceoli.
Leo earlier held his first Easter mass as pope, where he urged the faithful to show hope against “the violence of a deadly and destructive war,” adding that in the face of the conflicts spreading around the world, “we need this song of hope today.”
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Leo has repeatedly called for a ceasefire as the US-Israel war against Iran enters its second month and Russia continues its aggressive campaign in Ukraine.
Fox News’ Courtney Walsh contributed to this report.
