Pope Leo XIV Calls for Dialogue and Peace in First Easter Message

By CNN Staff

*Rome — April 5, 2026*

Pope Leo XIV urged dialogue and called on those with authority over military actions to pursue peace, delivering his first Easter Sunday message since his election as head of the Catholic Church last year.

From the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, the pontiff stated: “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 make us feel powerless in the face of evil.”

He added: “Let those who have 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 with the desire to dominate others, but to encounter them.”

Thousands assembled in St. Peter’s Square for the address, where one group displayed a poster in Italian reading: “Pope Leo we are with you, guide our future.”

In the message, Pope Leo XIV referenced the phrase “globalization of indifference” previously used by the late Pope Francis, noting that individuals are “growing accustomed to violence, resigning ourselves to it and becoming indifferent.”

The pontiff described the significance of Easter — the Christian observance of Jesus Christ’s resurrection — as “entirely nonviolent.”

Pope Leo XIV also announced a special prayer vigil for peace to be held in St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday, April 11. He recalled a similar event organized by Pope Francis in 2013, focused on the Syrian civil war and opposition to military intervention, which drew approximately 100,000 participants.

Following the message, the pope extended Easter greetings in 10 languages, including Arabic, Chinese and Latin. He recited the Regina Coeli prayer and delivered the traditional Urbi et Orbi blessing, translating to “To the City and to the World.”

The pontiff’s first Holy Week and Easter occurred amid ongoing armed conflicts, including the US-Israeli war against Iran, now in its second month, and Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine. These developments provided context for his appeals regarding war and peace.

On Good Friday, Pope Leo XIV participated in the Way of the Cross service at Rome’s Colosseum.

This Easter Sunday, thousands attended Mass and the subsequent message in sunny St. Peter’s Square, adorned with flowers and bulbs according to longstanding tradition.

In his earlier Easter homily, Pope Leo XIV emphasized maintaining hope despite challenges such as war, climate change and other forms of suffering.

He addressed “the cry of pain that rises from every corner because of the abuses that crush the weakest among us, because of the idolatry of profit that plunders the earth’s resources, because of the violence of war that kills and destroys.”

The pontiff continued: “Often it seems that God does not exist: all around us we see persistent injustice, evil, indifference and cruelty. But it is also true that in the midst of darkness something new always springs to life and sooner or later produces fruit. Easter gives us this hope, as we remember that in the risen Christ a new creation is possible every day.”

These remarks underscored the theological focus of Easter on resurrection and renewal, offering a message of hope rooted in Christian doctrine amid global difficulties.

As the first US-born pope, Leo XIV’s observances marked a significant moment in his initial year leading the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.

This story has been updated with additional developments.

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