The brand new pope used phrases favoured by his predecessor, Francis, to name for an finish to wars around the globe.
Pope Leo XIV has known as for real peace in Ukraine and an instantaneous ceasefire within the Gaza Strip in his first Sunday midday blessing as pontiff.
“No extra conflict,” Leo mentioned on Sunday, including, “the dramatic situation of a 3rd world conflict being fought piecemeal.”
“I too handle the world’s nice powers by repeating the ever-present name ‘by no means once more conflict’,” he mentioned from the loggia of Saint Peter’s Basilica to an estimated 100,000 individuals beneath.
The brand new pope, who was elected on Might 8 after the dying of Pope Francis, evoked a few of his predecessor’s favoured phrases that known as for peace.
Pope Leo mentioned he carries in his coronary heart the “struggling of the beloved individuals of Ukraine” and appealed for negotiations to achieve an “genuine, simply and lasting peace”.
The decision got here hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed direct negotiations with Ukraine to attain “lasting peace” amid stalled makes an attempt by the administration of United States President Donald Trump to mediate an settlement.
Leo additionally known as for an instantaneous ceasefire in Gaza and mentioned he was “profoundly saddened” by the conflict within the Israeli-besieged enclave.
He mentioned humanitarian aid should be supplied to the “exhausted civilian inhabitants”, including that “all hostages” held by the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza should be freed.
Pope Francis known as Gaza’s Christians on a near-daily foundation throughout Israel’s conflict on Gaza, which has killed greater than 52,000 Palestinians and wounded 120,000 others, lots of them youngsters and ladies.
The Israeli navy continues to take care of a complete blockade on water, meals and all different humanitarian assist to Gaza regardless of worldwide calls to cease its hunger coverage.
Pope Leo XIV seems on a display screen as he leads the Regina Caeli prayer on the Vatican, Might 11, 2025 (Marko Djurica/Reuters)
Leo mentioned he was glad to listen to of the ceasefire reached on Saturday between nuclear neighbours India and Pakistan, and hoped negotiations would result in a long-lasting accord.
“However there are such a lot of different conflicts on the earth,” he added.
This marked the primary time that Leo addressed crowds from the loggia since he was elected as the primary pope from the US on Thursday night.
Italian authorities estimated that greater than 100,000 individuals have been within the sq.. The crowds have been entertained by marching bands from Italy, Mexico and different elements of Latin America who got here to Rome for the continued Catholic Holy 12 months.
Leo on Saturday prayed earlier than the tomb of Pope Francis, who died on April 21, throughout city on the St Mary Main Basilica.
