Pope Leo XIV Delivers First Easter Mass as Pontiff, Calls for Peace Amid Ongoing Global Conflicts

Pope Leo XIV led his first Easter Mass as pontiff at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City on Sunday, April 5, 2026, urging global leaders to lay down arms and pursue peace through dialogue. In a notable departure from tradition, the pope refrained from specifically naming the world’s active conflicts during his Urbi et Orbi blessing, typically a moment to highlight global crises.

The Easter service drew crowds of around 50,000 faithful to St. Peter’s Square, where Pope Leo delivered a message centered on hope in the face of war and suffering. Emphasizing the Christian significance of resurrection, he implored those with weapons to choose peace and dialogue over violence and domination, invoking the legacy of his predecessor, Pope Francis.

Without direct references, Pope Leo acknowledged widespread conflict, including the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and Russia’s campaign in Ukraine, underscoring concerns about indifference to widespread suffering and the economic and social fallout of war. He announced plans for a prayer vigil for peace to be held on April 11 in the basilica.

Pope Leo, the first U.S.-born pope, made several gestures reshaping papal tradition. During Holy Week, he restored the practice of washing priests’ feet on Holy Thursday, returned to greeting the faithful in multiple languages, and carried the wooden cross himself for the full Way of the Cross. Before departing the loggia, he greeted crowds from the popemobile along Via della Conciliazione.

Across the wider region, Easter observances took place under the shadow of ongoing conflict. In Jerusalem, ceremonies at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre were scaled back amid security restrictions, while Gaza’s Christian community marked its first Easter since the recent ceasefire with gatherings at Holy Family church. In Tehran, Armenian Christians celebrated at St. Sarkis Cathedral as the city endures daily airstrikes, with community leaders voicing hope for an end to the violence.

The Vatican did not provide an immediate explanation for the pope’s change in approach during the Urbi et Orbi blessing. As of Sunday afternoon, security remained heightened in conflict-affected regions, and religious leaders across affected cities continued to call for peace.