Pope Leo XIV Condemns Globalization of Helplessness in First Easter Urbi et Orbi

Pope Leo XIV celebrated his first Easter Mass as pontiff on April 5, 2026, in St. Peter's Square before a crowd of over faithful, delivering a homily focused on suffering, hope, and the transformative power of the Resurrection. The American-born pope, born Robert Francis Prevost, presided over the solemn liturgy on the parvis of St. Peter's Basilica before delivering the traditional Urbi et Orbi blessing from the central loggia of the Vatican Basilica. In his homily, Leo XIV described death as "always lurking," present in injustices, the oppression of the poor, and what he called the "idolatry of profit that plunders the earth's resources." He invited the faithful not to despair, urging them to "lift up one's gaze and to enlarge the heart," and affirmed that Easter offers the hope that "in the risen Christ a new creation is possible every day." The Mass marked the first Easter rite on the parvis of the Basilica since the beginning of his pontificate.

Pope calls on war leaders to choose dialogue over force In his Urbi et Orbi address, Leo XIV issued a direct appeal to those holding military and political power, framing peace as a matter of active choice rather than imposed order. „Those who have weapons in their hands, lay them down! Those who have the power to unleash wars, choose peace! Not a peace pursued by force, but through dialogue! Not with the will to dominate the other, but to meet them!” — Pope Leo XIV via Rai News The Pope also called on all present to "abandon every will for contention, dominance, and power," and urged the faithful not to yield to the instinct of revenge or grow accustomed to violence. He delivered Easter greetings in ten languages, including Italian, French, English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Arabic, Chinese, and Latin. The address was broadcast via radio and television to audiences beyond St. Peter's Square. Leo XIV also announced a prayer vigil for peace to be held on April 11 in St. Peter's Basilica, framing it as a concrete response to the call not to resign to evil and violence.

Mattarella echoes Pope's call for dialogue among rulers Italian President Sergio Mattarella, the twelfth and current president of the Italian Republic, sent a message of Easter greetings to the pontiff, expressing hope that the occasion would urge leaders toward reconciliation. Mattarella addressed his "most fervent wishes" to Leo XIV on the occasion of "the first since Your election to the Pontifical Throne," according to the text of the message. The Italian head of state expressed hope that the sentiments of the Resurrection would, "especially in such complex and restless times," urge "rulers, women and men of goodwill — to recover as soon as possible the reasons for dialogue, moderation, and peaceful and just coexistence among peoples." Mattarella also invoked the Pope's own phrase, expressing hope that Easter would awaken humanity from what he called the „globalization of helplessness” — Sergio Mattarella via Il Sole 24 Ore The message reflected a convergence between the Vatican's pastoral message and the Italian state's diplomatic concerns amid ongoing conflicts.

First American pope marks a historic Easter in Rome Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost on September 14, 1955, is the first pope to have been born in the United States and the first to hold either U.S. or Peruvian citizenship. He was elected to the Pontifical Throne in May 2025, succeeding Pope Francis, who died on April 21, 2025. He is also the first pope from the Order of Saint Augustine. The Easter celebration carried particular weight given the backdrop of ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, which Leo XIV referenced in his address as casting a shadow over the day's festivities. Rai News reported that the Mass was celebrated "under the shadow of a conflict that is devastating the Middle East and threatening the Christians of that region." The Pope's theological framing of Christ's victory as "totally non-violent" — comparing it to a grain of wheat forcing through the earth — offered a pointed counterpoint to the use of force in contemporary conflicts. His call for dialogue over dominance, delivered before tens of thousands in Rome and broadcast globally, represented one of the most prominent public statements of his young pontificate. The prayer vigil announced for April 11 will give the faithful a further opportunity to respond to the Pope's call for active engagement with the cause of peace.