Pope Leo marks first Easter with call for hope amid conflicts
VATICAN CITY—Pope Leo celebrated his first Easter Mass as pontiff with a call Sunday to exercise hope against “the violence of war that kills and destroys,’’ saying “we need this song of hope today” as conflicts spread around the world.
With the US-Israeli war on Iran in its second month and Russia’s ongoing campaign in Ukraine since 2022, Leo has repeatedly called for a halt in hostilities. In his Easter homily, the pope singled out those who wage war, abuse the weak and prioritize profits.
Leo, the first US-born pope, addressed the faithful from an open-air altar in St. Peter’s Square flanked with white roses, while the steps leading down to the piazza where the faithful gathered were filled with spring perennials, symbolically resonating with the pope’s message of hope.
The pontiff implored the faithful to keep their hope in the face of death, which lurks “in injustices, in partisan selfishness, in the oppression of the poor, in the lack of attention given to the most vulnerable.”
“We see it in violence, in the wounds of the world, in the cry of pain that rises from every corner because of the abuses that crush the weakest among us, because of the idolatry of profit that plunders the earth’s resources, because of the violence of war that kills and destroys,” he said.
He quoted his predecessor Pope Francis in warning against falling into indifference in the face of “persistent injustice, evil, indifference and cruelty,” because “it is also true that in the midst of darkness, something new always springs to life and sooner or later produces fruit.”
He was to deliver later on Sunday the traditional “Urbi et Orbi” message—Latin for “to the city and the world.’’
‘End to senseless war’
In Manila, Cardinal Jose Advincula called for an end to conflicts worldwide in his Easter message, urging the faithful to embrace the Resurrection of Jesus as a source of hope and action amid suffering.
“Christ is risen, alleluia! We celebrate Easter this year in a time of war—a ‘piecemeal’ Third World War, in the words of Pope Francis,” the archbishop of Manila said.
Highlighting the moral responsibility of believers, Advincula denounced the “globalization of indifference” and the normalization of genocide, calling on governments and leaders to pursue justice and alleviate the suffering of people affected by war.
“Together with our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, I call for an end to this senseless war that has brought nothing but suffering and destruction,” the cardinal said.
Immense suffering
He added: “With my brother bishops, l appeal for accountability, for the relentless pursuit of justice in public governance, and for more urgent action to alleviate the agony of our people.”
Advincula described the global crisis as a source of immense suffering.
He called on the faithful not to romanticize Easter and emphasized that it is not just a festive tradition that can be diminished to mere greetings and sentimentality.
“Let us celebrate it as it truly is—the triumph of light over darkness, the victory of God over death, the gift of new life from the cold tomb,” he said.
He called the Resurrection “the most subversive and revolutionary message of Christianity,” urging the faithful to resist indifference and apathy.
The archbishop also reminded the faithful that Easter is a time for personal renewal and vigilance.
“An authentic celebration of Easter calls us to rise to a new life, with renewed fervor to remain awake and vigilant. Let us not waste the sacrifice and offering of Jesus on the cross,” he added.
