Pope Leo XIV urges world leaders to choose peace in Easter message
According to Vatican News, the pontiff addressed Rome and the world from the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica.
"In the light of Easter, let us allow ourselves to be amazed by Christ! Let us allow our hearts to be transformed by his immense love for us! Let those who have weapons lay them down! Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace! Not a peace imposed by force, but through dialogue! Not with the desire to dominate others, but to encounter them!" the Pope said.
On the occasion of the holiday, he called on the faithful to abandon "every desire for conflict, domination, and power, and implore the Lord to grant his peace to a world ravaged by wars and marked by a hatred and indifference that make us feel powerless in the face of evil."
"To the Lord we entrust all hearts that suffer and await the true peace that only he can give. Let us entrust ourselves to him and open our hearts to him! He is the only one who makes all things new!" the Holy Father said.
The Pope also invited the faithful to join a prayer vigil for peace to be held at St. Peter's Basilica next Saturday, April 11.
This year, Western Christians celebrate Easter, or the Resurrection of Christ, on April 5.
Photo: Vatican Media
