As soon as the Easter celebration begins around the world, Pope Leo decides to address the world.
Head of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV urged global leaders in his Easter message on Sunday to end the conflicts raging across the world and abandon any schemes for power, conquest or domination.
The American-born Pope, who has emerged as an outspoken critic of the Iran war, lamented in a special message to the thousands gathered in St. Peter's Square.
Pope Leo's Message on Easter:
"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's message was unusually brief and direct, but he did not mention any specific conflicts in the message known as the "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) blessing.
The pope expressed, "On this day of celebration, let us abandon every desire for conflict, domination, and power, and implore the Lord to grant his peace to a world ravaged by wars," he urged.
Leo, who is known for choosing his words carefully, has been forcefully decrying the world's violent conflicts in recent weeks and ramping up his criticism of the Iran war.
The pope made a rare direct appeal to U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday, urging him to find an "off-ramp" to end the Iran war.
He urged people not to feel numbed by the scope of the conflicts raging across the world but to work for peace.
The pope also shared a similar sentiment in his Easter remarks, saying that people "are growing accustomed to violence, resigning ourselves to it, and becoming indifferent."
Pope Leo emphasized, "God rejects prayers of leaders who wage wars" and have "hands full of blood", in unusually forceful remarks as the Iran war entered its second month.
The speech is the latest in the pope's increasingly outspoken criticism of world conflicts in recent weeks, including decrying "atrocious violence" in the Middle East.
Late last month, he made a more direct appeal, saying he hopes President Donald Trump is "looking for an off-ramp" to the Iran war.
In his address on Sunday from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica decorated with thousands of brightly colored flowers for the holiday, Leo offered brief Easter greetings in ten languages, including Latin, Arabic, and Chinese.
Additionally, while ending the address, Pope Leo XIV announced he would return to the Basilica on April 11 to host a prayer vigil for peace.
