During Saturday evening’s Easter vigil ceremony at St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo delivered a powerful message to Catholics worldwide, encouraging them to resist becoming desensitized to global warfare and instead actively pursue peace.
The pontiff, who has become increasingly vocal in his opposition to the Iran conflict, warned that distrust and fear have been permitted to “sever the bonds between us through war, injustice and the isolation of peoples and nations.”
“Let us not allow ourselves to be paralyzed!” declared the first American pope during the sacred Easter vigil service, which marks the most significant celebration in the Catholic faith when Christians commemorate Jesus Christ’s resurrection.
While presiding over the ceremony that included the baptism of 10 new adult Catholic converts, Pope Leo avoided naming specific wars or conflicts in his remarks.
Speaking to the thousands gathered in Christianity’s most prominent cathedral, the pope encouraged Catholics to emulate the saints who fought for justice, hoping that “Easter gifts of harmony and peace may grow and flourish everywhere.”
Pope Leo, recognized for his deliberate choice of words, has intensified his condemnation of the Iran conflict in recent weeks.
Just last Sunday, the pope declared that God turns away from the prayers of war-starting leaders whose “hands full of blood.” Earlier this week on Tuesday, he made a direct plea to President Donald Trump, asking the commander-in-chief to locate an “off-ramp” to conclude the war.
The pope’s Easter observances will wrap up Sunday morning with a public Mass in St. Peter’s Square, where he will offer a special blessing and address that typically includes significant international appeals.
