The Pope Leo XIV celebrated this Sunday (5) Easter Mass at the Vatican and made a direct appeal for peace amid international conflicts. During the ceremony, the pontiff also spoke to the faithful in Portuguese, wishing “Happy Easter” and urging the dissemination of the Christian message.
The celebration took place in St. Peter’s Square, which gathered thousands of people. According to official information, the space was decorated with about 60,000 flowers and hosted faithful from different countries to witness the current pope’s first Easter Mass, elected about 11 months ago.
“Happy Easter. May the joy of the risen Lord present among us be brought to everyone,” the pontiff stated in Portuguese, in addition to repeating the greeting in other languages, such as Italian, English, Spanish, German and Chinese.
Appeal against wars and criticisms of indifference
In his homily, Pope Leo XIV again emphasized the international landscape and urged world leaders to prioritize peaceful solutions. Without naming specific countries, he stated that those with the power to start conflicts should opt for peace and criticized indifference to deaths.
The message reinforces the pope’s recent positions. In the previous week, he had already declared that God does not listen to prayers from leaders who promote wars, amid the escalation of tensions in the Middle East.
In the “Urbi et Orbi” message delivered after the Mass, the pontiff also urged people involved in conflicts to lay down their weapons and choose dialogue. According to him, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ represents a victory of life over death and should inspire actions aimed at the common good .
First Easter as pope
This Sunday’s celebration marked the closing of the Holy Week ceremony cycle in the Vatican. Throughout the rites, Pope Leo XIV performed symbolic gestures, such as carrying the cross during the Way of the Cross in Rome, something that hadn’t happened since the 1970s, and praying lying on the ground during the celebration of the Passion of Christ.
Easter is considered one of the main dates on the Christian calendar and marks, according to tradition, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Millions of faithful celebrate the date around the world, while the Vatican hosts one of the Church’s major global ceremonies.
