The Urbi et Orbi ('to the city and the world') papal address is the most solemn form of blessing in the Catholic Church, and is reserved for the most important occasions - including Easter, Christmas, and the proclamation of a newly elected pope concluding a conclave.
This Easter, Pope Leo XIV celebrated his first Easter Sunday Mass in the Vatican since being named pontiff almost a year ago, and his Urbi et Orbi was unusually brief and direct. In his address - delivered to the thousands gathered in St. Peter's Square from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, decorated with thousands of brightly coloured flowers - Leo lamented that people "are growing accustomed to violence, resigning themselves to it".
The pope pointed out that the story of Easter, when the Bible says Jesus rose from the dead three days after not resisting his execution by crucifixion, shows that Christ was "entirely nonviolent". "Let those who have weapons lay them down!" the first U.S. pope exhorted. "Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace!".
Leo XIV also appealed to abandon all desire for contention, domination, and power - and to pray for peace in a world torn by wars, marked by hatred and indifference, which, he added, make us "feel powerless in the face of evil".
Leo did not mention any specific conflicts in his Easter message - but he has previously emerged as an outspoken critic of the US-Israeli attack on Iran and the resulting retaliations, he oftentimes affirmed his closeness to the Ukrainian people defending against Russian full-scale invasion (like in a phone call with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Good Friday), also consistently condemning Israel's aggression against the Palestinian people of Gaza, describing it as "barbaric" and highlighting the "unacceptable" suffering of civilians.
In recent weeks the pope has repeatedly criticized those who invoke God for war, most pointedly on Palm Sunday, when he said that God "does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war".
At the end of his Sunday address, the pope announced he would return to the Basilica on April 11 to host a prayer vigil for peace. He then offered brief Happy Easter wishes in 10 languages, including saying "Wesołych Świąt" in Polish - and concluded by giving the Urbi et Orbi blessing.
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Source: PAP, IAR, Reuters