Pope Leo XIV delivers his blessing from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica for his first Sunday blessing after his election, in St. Peter’s Sq. on the Vatican, Sunday, Could 11, 2025.
Andrew Medichini/AP
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Andrew Medichini/AP
VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV known as for a simply and lasting peace in Ukraine and an instantaneous ceasefire in Gaza with the discharge of hostages and supply of humanitarian help in his first Sunday midday blessing as pontiff.
“I too address the world’s great powers by repeating the ever-present call ‘never again war,'” Leo stated from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica.
It was the primary time that Leo had returned to the loggia since he first appeared to the world on Thursday night following his outstanding election as pope, the primary from the USA. Then too he delivered a message of peace.
Leo was selecting up the papal custom of providing a blessing at midday, however with a number of twists. Whereas his predecessors delivered the greeting from the studio window of the Apostolic Palace, off to the facet of the piazza, Leo went to the very middle of the sq. and the guts of the basilica.
He additionally provided a novelty by singing the Regina Caeli prayer, a Latin prayer stated in the course of the Easter season that previous popes would normally simply recite.
He wore the easy white cassock of the papacy — not the formal crimson cape he wore on Thursday night time — and had reverted again to carrying his silver pectoral cross. He had worn a extra ornate one which incorporates the relics of St. Augustine and his mom, St. Monica, on Thursday night time that had been given to him by his Augustinian spiritual order.
Leo quoted Pope Francis in denouncing the variety of conflicts ravaging the globe at this time, saying it was a “third world war in pieces.”
“I carry in my heart the sufferings of the beloved Ukrainian people,” he stated. “Let everything possible be done to achieve genuine, just and lasting peace as soon as possible.”
He known as for the discharge of struggle prisoners and the return of Ukrainian youngsters to their households, and welcomed the ceasefire between India and Pakistan.
He additionally known as for an instantaneous ceasefire in Gaza, and for humanitarian aid to be supplied to the “exhausted civilian population and all hostages be freed.”
Leo additionally famous that Sunday was Mom’s Day in lots of nations and wished all moms, “including those in heaven” a Completely happy Mom’s Day.
The gang, stuffed with marching bands on the town for a particular Jubilee weekend, erupted in cheers and music because the bells of St. Peter’s Basilica tolled. Italian authorities estimated some 100,000 individuals have been within the sq..
Earlier Sunday, Leo celebrated a personal Mass close to the tomb of St. Peter with head of his Augustinian order, the Rev. Alejandro Ethical Anton. The Mass occurred within the grottoes beneath St. Peter’s, the standard burial place of St. Peter, the apostle who is taken into account the be the primary pope.
The world, which is often open to the general public, additionally incorporates the tombs of previous popes, together with Pope Benedict XVI.
Leo on Saturday prayed earlier than the tomb of Pope Francis, positioned throughout city on the St. Mary Main Basilica.
The 69-year-old Chicago-born missionary was elected 267th pope on Thursday following the April 21 loss of life of Francis.
