Pope Leo XIV bestowed the traditional blessing, “Urbi et Orbi” (On the City and the World), upon the faithful for Easter. This formal declaration is reserved for significant occasions, typically Christmas, Easter, or following a Papal election, and is considered one of the most important blessings in the Catholic Church.
On Sunday, thousands of worshippers gathered on St. Peter’s Square in Rome for the traditional Easter Mass, as is customary every year. In his Easter message, the Pope issued a warning against apathy concerning the suffering caused by numerous violent conflicts around the globe. He urged, “Whoever holds arms, lay them down” adding, “Whoever has the power to start wars, choose peace. Not a peace enforced by force, but one achieved through dialogue. Not with the desire to dominate others, but with an openness to meet them”.
Pope Leo stated that humanity is becoming accustomed to violence, leading to indifference. He expressed deep concern about this growing apathy, specifically noting a detachment regarding the deaths of thousands. Furthermore, he lamented that people are becoming indifferent to the consequences of hatred and division stemming from conflicts, as well as the economic and social ramifications that affect everyone. Consequently, the Pope called for everyone to set aside “all quarrelsome passion and any desire for domination and power”.
The celebration of Easter this year was notably marked by the impact of the war in the Middle East. Earlier, during the Easter Vigil, Leo had already called for global unity and peace, advocating for commitment “so that the Eastern gifts of harmony and peace may grow and flourish everywhere and always in the world”.
For Pope Leo XIV, this marks his first Easter celebration as the head of the Catholic Church, especially after the previous year when the visibly weakened Pope Francis assumed the role for a final time near the end of his life.