Pope Leo Issues Antiwar Message In His First Easter Mass

VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV celebrated his first Easter Mass arsenic pontiff pinch a telephone Sunday to laic down arms and activity bid to world conflicts done dialogue, but he departed from a contented of listing nan world’s woes by sanction successful nan Urbi et Orbi blessing from nan loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica.

Leo, nan first U.S.-born pope, emphasized Easter’s connection of dream arsenic a ceremony of Jesus’ resurrection aft being crucified.

“Let america let our hearts to beryllium transformed by his immense emotion for us! Let those who person weapons laic them down! Let those who person nan powerfulness to unleash wars take peace! Not a bid imposed by force, but done dialogue! Not pinch nan desire to predominate others, but to brushwood them!” nan pope implored.

With nan U.S.-Israeli warfare connected Iran successful its 2nd period and Russia’s ongoing penetration of Ukraine, Leo acknowledged a consciousness of indifference “to nan deaths of thousands of group ... to nan repercussions of hatred and section that conflicts sow … to nan economical and societal consequences they produce.’’

Without mentioning nan wars by name, Leo quoted his predecessor, Pope Francis, who during his past nationalist quality from nan aforesaid loggia past Easter reminded nan religious of nan “great thirst for death, for killing, we witnesser each day.”

Francis, weakened by a agelong illness, died nan adjacent day, connected Easter Monday.

The Urbi et Orbi blessing, Latin for “to nan metropolis and nan world,” has traditionally included a litany of nan world’s woes. Leo followed that look during his Christmas blessing. There was nary contiguous mentation for nan shift.

Earlier, Leo addressed immoderate 50,000 religious from an open-air altar successful St. Peter’s Square flanked pinch achromatic roses, while nan steps starring down to nan piazza wherever nan religious gathered were filled pinch outpouring perennials, symbolically resonating pinch nan pope’s words.

He implored nan religious successful his homily to support their dream successful nan look of death, which lurks “in nan abuses that crush nan weakest among us, because of nan idolatry of profit that plunders nan Earth’s resources, because of nan unit of warfare that kills and destroys.”

Speaking from nan loggia, nan pope announced a dream vigil for bid April 11 successful nan basilica.

Small shifts successful traditions

Leo greeted nan world religious successful 10 languages, including Arabic, Chinese and Latin, reviving a believe that Francis had fto lapse.

Before retreating into nan basilica, Leo stepped guardant retired of nan loggia’s protector and waved to nan cheering crowd below. He later greeted group successful nan piazza from nan popemobile that took him each nan measurement down Via della Conciliazione toward nan Tiber River and back.

During nan marathon of Catholic ritual that is Holy Week, Leo besides reclaimed nan contented of washing priests’ feet connected Holy Thursday, a motion of encouragement toward clergy, aft Francis had chosen a much inclusive path, walking to prisons and homes for nan abnormal to lavation nan feet of women, non-Christians and prisoners.

The 70-year-old pontiff besides became nan first pope successful decades to transportation nan ray woody transverse for nan full 14 stations during nan Way of nan Cross connected Good Friday.

A subdued Easter successful Holy Land

Traditional ceremonies astatine nan Church of nan Holy Sepulcher, revered by Christians arsenic nan accepted tract of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, were scaled backmost nether an statement pinch Israeli police. Authorities person put limits connected nan sizes of nationalist gatherings owed to ongoing rocket attacks.

The restrictions besides dampened nan caller Muslim beatified period of Ramadan and Eid holiday, arsenic good arsenic nan existent weeklong Jewish show of Passover. On Sunday, nan Jewish priestly blessing astatine nan Western Wall — usually attended by tens of thousands — was constricted to 50 people.

The restrictions person strained relations betwixt Israeli authorities and Christian leaders. Police past play prevented 2 of nan church’s apical belief leaders, including Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa, from celebrating Palm Sunday astatine nan Church of nan Holy Sepulcher, breaking from a centuries-long tradition.

Easter successful Gaza

At nan Holy Family religion successful Gaza City, Catholics young and aged gathered for a accepted Easter Mass. Singing, they formed a queue successful nan aisle, waiting for their chance to buss a sketch of Jesus held by a personnel of nan clergy who wiped nan solid framework betwixt turns.

“There is awesome joy, particularly aft nan ceasefire and aft astir 3 years of suffering and being incapable to observe each nan beatified holidays,” said George Anton from Gaza City. “People are somewhat relieved and much stable.”

Armenian Christians

Armenian Christians observed Easter astatine a religion successful Iran’s superior connected Sunday, striving to support a consciousness of normality 5 weeks into nan war.

Families embraced and children exchanged painted eggs astatine nan Saint Sarkis Cathedral successful cardinal Tehran. The superior metropolis has been targeted by regular airstrikes since nan United States and Israel launched nan warfare connected Feb. 28.

“Whether we for illustration it aliases not, we person young children who do not understand what’s going on,” said Juanita Arakel, 40, an English connection teacher. “They conscionable request to consciousness normal.”

The Islamic Republic, pinch a organization of much than 90 million, is location to immoderate 300,000 Christians, mostly Armenians, and 3 seats successful parliament are reserved for Christians.

“Our calls and prayers are that we will beryllium capable to extremity this war,” said Sepuh Sargsyan, nan archbishop of nan Armenian Diocese of Tehran. “Our calls and prayers are that we will beryllium capable to extremity this war.”

Barry and Santalucia constitute for nan Associated Press and reported from Milan, Italy, and Vatican City, respectively. AP journalists Josef Federman successful Jerusalem; Wafaa Shurafa successful Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip; and Bassem Mroue successful Tehran contributed to this report.