VATICAN CITY — In a debut Easter celebration marked by a delicate balance of traditionalism and a plea for global restraint, Pope Leo XIV called on the world’s warring powers to abandon the machinery of conflict in favor of dialogue. Speaking from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, the first U.S.-born pontiff emphasized a message of hope and resurrection, though he notably broke with a long-standing papal custom by omitting a specific list of the world’s current crises during his Urbi et Orbi blessing.
The 70-year-old pontiff’s address came at a moment of acute global instability, with the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran entering its second month and Russia continuing its campaign in Ukraine. Whereas Leo XIV did not name these conflicts individually, he spoke pointedly about a growing global indifference to the “deaths of thousands of people” and the deep social and economic scars left by hatred and division.
“Let us allow our hearts to be transformed by his immense love for us!” the pope implored the gathered crowds. “Let those who have weapons lay them down! Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace! Not a peace imposed by force, but through dialogue! Not with the desire to dominate others, but to encounter them!”
A Shift in Papal Diplomacy and Tradition
The Urbi et Orbi blessing—Latin for “to the city and the world”—has historically served as a diplomatic ledger, where the pope lists specific nations and conflicts requiring prayer and intervention. While Leo XIV followed this formula during his Christmas blessing, his decision to move toward a more generalized call for peace this Easter suggests a potential shift in his approach to global mediation.
In a poignant nod to his predecessor, Leo quoted Pope Francis, who had reminded the faithful during his final appearance from the loggia of the “great thirst for death, for killing, we witness each day.” Pope Francis, who had been weakened by a prolonged illness, passed away the following day, on Easter Monday.
Beyond the rhetoric, the novel pontiff is already signaling a return to certain ecclesiastical traditions that had lapsed under the previous administration. During the Easter festivities, Leo greeted the global faithful in 10 different languages, including Arabic, Chinese, and Latin. He as well reclaimed the tradition of washing the feet of priests on Holy Thursday—a gesture of clerical encouragement that contrasted with Pope Francis’s practice of washing the feet of prisoners, women, and non-Christians.
The pontiff’s physical commitment to the liturgy was also on display during Good Friday, where he became the first pope in decades to carry the light wooden cross through all 14 stations of the Way of the Cross.
Comparing Holy Week Traditions
| Tradition | Pope Francis Approach | Pope Leo XIV Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Foot Washing | Inclusive (Prisoners, non-Christians) | Clerical (Priests) |
| Urbi et Orbi | Specific litany of world woes | Generalized call for hope/dialogue |
| Greetings | Limited language set | Multilingual (10 languages) |
| Way of the Cross | Symbolic participation | Carried cross for all 14 stations |
Faith Under Fire: From Jerusalem to Tehran
While the atmosphere in St. Peter’s Square was one of renewal—with 50,000 faithful gathered around an altar flanked by white roses and spring perennials—the reality for Christians in conflict zones remained grim. In Jerusalem, traditional ceremonies at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre were significantly scaled back due to an agreement with Israeli police, who limited public gathering sizes amid ongoing missile attacks.
These security restrictions have created friction between Christian leaders and Israeli authorities. Last week, police prevented two of the church’s highest religious leaders, including Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa, from celebrating Palm Sunday at the site of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection.
The tension extended beyond the Christian community, dampening the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the Jewish festival of Passover. In a stark illustration of the current security climate, the Jewish priestly blessing at the Western Wall, which typically draws tens of thousands, was restricted to just 50 people on Sunday.
In Tehran, the capital of Iran, Armenian Christians sought a semblance of normalcy five weeks into the war. At St. Sarkis Cathedral, families exchanged painted eggs and embraced despite the threat of daily airstrikes that have targeted the city since the conflict began on Feb. 28.
“Whether we like it or not, we have young children who do not understand what’s going on,” said Juanita Arakel, a 40-year-old English teacher in Tehran. “They just need to feel normal.”
Iran is home to approximately 300,000 Christians, primarily Armenians, who maintain a small but recognized presence in the Islamic Republic, including three reserved seats in parliament. Sepuh Sargsyan, the archbishop of the Armenian Diocese of Tehran, echoed the pope’s call for peace, appealing to those who started the war to glance toward the “love and mutual respect” exemplified by the resurrection.
The Path Forward
Pope Leo XIV’s first Easter suggests a papacy that intends to be deeply rooted in traditional liturgy while navigating a world fractured by high-intensity conflict. In his homily, he warned against the “idolatry of profit that plunders the earth’s resources” and the “abuses that crush the weakest among us,” framing the fight for peace as both a spiritual and a systemic struggle.
The Vatican has now set a concrete date for further action. The pope announced that a prayer vigil for peace will be held on April 11 in the basilica, inviting the global community to “abandon every desire for conflict, domination, and power.”
We invite you to share your thoughts on the new pontiff’s approach to global diplomacy in the comments below.
