Pope Leo XIV gave his first Easter blessing as pontiff on Sunday, calling for peace and urging the world not to grow indifferent to the deaths of tens of thousands in violent conflicts around the world.
Leo gave the traditional Urbi et Orbi blessing from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to a crowd in St. Peter’s Square that Vatican media described as numbering over 50,000.
Leo said that in a world hurt by wars and abuses, people need hope and peace, urging against growing accustomed to violence and indifferent to the death of tens of thousands.
“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 and marked by a hatred and indifference that makes us feel powerless to the face of evil,” the pope said.
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Leo reminded the faithful that “the power with which Christ rose is entirely nonviolent.”
“In the light of Easter, let us allow ourselves to be amazed by Christ,” he said. “Let us allow our hearts transformed by his immense love for us. Let those with weapons lay them down. Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace. Not a peace imposed by force, but through dialogue. Not through a desire to dominate others, but to encounter them.”
Leo also invoked what he said were the final words that Pope Francis issued to the world from the same balcony one year ago, during which the late pontiff warned of a “globalization of indifference.”
“What a great thirst for death, for killing we witness each day in the many conflicts raging in different parts of the world,” Leo said, quoting Francis.
Leo concluded the blessing by wishing everyone a happy Easter in 10 different languages and singing the Regina Ceoli.
Leo earlier held his first Easter Mass as pope, in which he called for the faithful to exercise hope against “the violence of war that kills and destroys,’’ adding that in the face of conflicts spreading around the world, “we need this song of hope today.”
Leo has repeatedly called for a halt in hostilities as the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran enters its second month and Russia continues its violent campaign in Ukraine.
Fox News’ Courtney Walsh contributed to this report.
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