Pope Leo Urges Peace at Easter Vigil as War Deepens
pope leo marked his first Easter vigil as pontiff with a warning that the world should not grow numb to war. In St Peter’s Basilica on Saturday night, he carried a tall lit candle through the darkened church and urged Christians to seek harmony and peace as conflict continues to weigh on daily life. His message came as the US-Israeli war on Iran entered its second month and Russia’s ongoing campaign in Ukraine continued.
Pope Leo opens Easter with a warning to a world in conflict
Leo said Easter should bring harmony and peace to a world torn by wars, speaking during a solemn service that began with the lighting of the Easter candle before he entered the basilica. Candle bearers passed the flame through the central aisle as congregants lit their own candles, turning the service into a slow procession of light inside the dark church. The pope then called sin a barrier that separates people from God and compared it to the stone that covered Jesus’ tomb before the resurrection.
In his homily, pope leo said there are stones representing sins that must be overturned today, including mistrust, fear, selfishness and resentment. He added that other forces, born from those struggles, sever bonds between people through war, injustice and the isolation of peoples and nations. He asked the faithful not to let themselves be paralysed by them and urged a commitment so that the gifts of Easter may grow and flourish everywhere and always throughout the world.
Some Catholics want pope leo to speak more forcefully
The pope’s style has drawn mixed reactions among Catholics during his first months in office. Some want him to be more vocal on world conflict, while others say he is using his influence discreetly. Joanne Coleman, a religion teacher from Ireland, said she would like to see him be more vocal about what is going on in the world and added that he must get louder, especially with Trump. Gabriele, who works in a souvenir shop near St Peter’s Square, said now is not the time for being timid.
Others see a different approach. Iacopo Scaramuzzi, the Vatican correspondent for La Repubblica newspaper, described Leo as pragmatic and said his strategy is calibrated not on the resonance of his words but on the efficacy of his actions. He pointed to the Vatican’s behind-the-scenes role as a mediator in Venezuela and Cuba and its attempts to prevent military action in both countries.
Pope Leo and the war message at Easter
Leo has repeatedly called for a halt in hostilities since taking office, and his words on Palm Sunday were especially sharp when he said God does not listen to the prayers of those who make war or cite God to justify violence. The Easter vigil added another public moment in which pope leo tied the Christian message of resurrection to the suffering caused by current wars. During the service, he also baptised 10 adults from around the world.
The broader debate around pope leo is now focused on whether his quieter style can carry the same moral force that many Catholics expected. Some see restraint as a form of discipline, while others want clearer public confrontation with political leaders and wars.
What comes next after the Easter vigil
On Sunday morning, pope leo is set to celebrate an open-air mass in St Peter’s Square before delivering his Easter message and the traditional Urbi et Orbi blessing to the city of Rome and the world. That message is expected to serve as a summary of the world’s woes, giving the pope another chance to speak directly to war, peace and the anxieties now surrounding Easter. For many Catholics, pope leo’s next words may shape how they judge his first year in office.
