Pope Leo urges peace at Vatican vigil: ‘Enough of war!’
VATICAN CITY — pope leo delivered a forceful call for peace on April 11 during a special vigil in St. Peter’s Basilica, urging people of every religion and ethnicity to live together as brothers and sisters in a world without war. Speaking before thousands gathered inside and outside the basilica, he condemned self-interest, money worship, and the display of power. His message came as he warned of a growing delusion of omnipotence that threatens the world.
Pope Leo calls for an end to hatred and violence
In the center of the vigil, pope leo said the world must hear one repeated demand: “Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!” He said true strength is shown in serving life, not dominating others.
He told those present that people of faith must empty their hearts and minds of hatred and violence. He added that prayer reveals human limits, while threats and killing belong to a world turned away from the living God.
During the service, the rosary was recited in the glorious mysteries, and women in traditional dress from different continents lit lamps from the Lamp of Peace from Assisi placed below a statue of Our Lady Queen of Peace. The vigil was framed as a public appeal for reconciliation at a moment the pope described as a dramatic hour in history.
Voices of children shape the warning
pope leo also drew on the words of children who write to him about “all the horror and inhumanity of actions that some adults boast of with pride. ” That line gave the vigil its sharpest emotional edge, turning the prayer service into a plea not only for political restraint but for moral accountability.
He said war divides, hope unites, arrogance tramples upon others, and love lifts up. He also said that just a small amount of faith is enough to face this moment together, and that prayer can move mountains.
The pope did not name any current conflict, but he recalled St. John Paul II’s calls for peace during the 2003 invasion of Iraq and made that appeal his own, repeating the message of “No more war. ”
Pope Leo links peace to human dignity
In his remarks, pope leo said the Church is a people at the service of reconciliation and peace and that it moves forward even when rejecting war brings misunderstanding and scorn. He said the Church proclaims the Gospel of peace and must obey God rather than human authority when the dignity of others is violated.
He also warned that people can be trapped in a cycle of evil unless they turn toward prayer and God. In his telling, the answer to violence is not power, but service, mercy, and solidarity across religions and nations.
What happens next
The vigil ended as a public witness to that message, with pope leo pressing world leaders and individuals alike to reject hatred and choose life. For now, the Vatican has placed peace, dignity, and reconciliation at the center of its message, and the pope’s call for pope leo to be heard as a warning and an invitation at the same time.
