Translation result.
By Lee Won-yul, Herald Economy — Pope Leo XIV presided over his first Easter Mass on April 5 (local time) and urged the international community to lay down arms and seek peace through dialogue.
Pope Leo XIV told worshippers gathered in St. Peter’s Square that “we have grown accustomed to violence; we have become numb to the deaths of thousands and to the hatred and division sowed by conflict,” according to AP and AFP.
He pressed those bearing arms to put them down and called on leaders with the power to wage war to choose peace. “Peace must be achieved through dialogue, not imposed by force. It must arise from a willingness to meet others, not from a desire to dominate them,” he said.
He did not explicitly reference the ongoing conflicts in Iran or Ukraine.
In his Urbi et Orbi blessing (Latin for “to the city [Rome] and the world”), he departed from a long-standing practice of naming specific countries or crisis regions, opting instead for a more general appeal.
Pope Leo XIV said he will hold a prayer vigil for peace in St. Peter’s Square on April 11.
At the Easter Vigil the night before, he prayed that the gifts of reconciliation and peace would take root across the world.
In recent days, the pope has phoned the presidents of Israel and Ukraine to press for peace and to discuss urgent humanitarian needs.
The Vatican said that in his call with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, the pope emphasized the need to reactivate all diplomatic channels to end the conflict and secure a just, lasting peace across the Middle East.
In a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Vatican said the pope discussed the urgent need to deliver relief to people suffering from the fighting and highlighted efforts to expand humanitarian measures, including prisoner releases.
Most Commented