Pope Leo XVI appeals to the song of hope against the violence of war at Easter in the Vatican

Appealing to the faithful to maintain the “song of hope” in the face of “the violence of wars” that ravage the world, the pope left his diagnosis this Sunday: “We see it in the violence, in the wounds of the world, in the cry of pain that rises from every corner due to the abuses that crush the weakest among us, due to the idolatry of profit that plunders the earth’s resources, due to the violence of war that kills and destroys.” In first Easter celebration since becoming head of the Catholic church, almost a year ago, Leo XVI addressed the crowd from an open-air altar in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican.

O Pope left an appeal to those “who have the power to start wars” to “choose peace”also denouncing the indifference towards the thousands of deaths in conflicts around the world. “We have become accustomed to violence, we have resigned ourselves to it and we have become indifferent. Indifferent to the deaths of thousands of people, indifferent to the repercussions of hatred and division that conflicts sow”, stated Leo XIV.

In St. Peter’s Square adorned with thousands of flowers, the Pope denounced the war and its “economic and social” consequences. In front of thousands of faithful who celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Leo XIV spoke without mentioning any country or region in crisis in the world, breaking with the tradition observed for years by its predecessors.

In the traditional blessing “Urbi et Orbi” (to the city and the world), Robert Prevost also announced a prayer vigil for peace, to be held on April 11, in Saint Peter’s Square.

On Friday night, the first American pope carried the cross the entire Way of the Cross. The last pontiff to do so along the 14 stations of the route was John Paul II in 1994. The ceremony, which marked the celebration of Good Friday, brought together thousands of people around the Colosseum in Rome.

At the end of the Stations of the Cross, the Pope recited a prayer from Saint Francis of Assisi, before granting his blessing, then returning to the Vatican without further words.